2002 - Volume 25, Number 2
Editor, David L. Hough, Missouri State University

Preface

This special issue of Research in Middle Level Education Online features studies that were presented at the National Middle School Association's first ever research poster session held during the annual conference in Washington, D.C., November 1-3, 2001. NMSA's Research Committee sponsored the poster session which was designed to encourage beginning researchers to complete studies and share them in a national forum, along with an opportunity for publication. A special emphasis and invitation was extended to first-time researchers to present their work in a less threatening environment than is often encountered in more sophisticated, formal presentation formats. Most manuscripts submitted for presentation were prepared by graduate students at the masters, specialist, and doctoral levels, along with recent post-doctoral faculty at the assistant professor rank. Ten studies were chosen from 18 submissions. Seven of the ten were able to complete their studies and made poster presentations; one of these was published in volume 25(1) of RMLE Online. Five of the remaining six are presented, here. Revisions to one manuscript remain unfinished.

My sense is that the NMSA Research Committee's offer to beginning researchers provided a valuable learning experience to all 18 who originally submitted, as well as for the six authors or teams of authors whose studies ultimately reached publication. Session evaluations and anecdotal comments from conference participants were so positive, the NMSA Research Committee has committed to sponsor a second poster session for beginning researchers at the next annual conference in Portland. The "call" for those submissions is forthcoming.

David Hough, Editor

ISSN 1084-8959