Research Expectation Details in Expectations Documents: The Case of Mathematics Education

Clearly articulated research expectations are especially important for hybrid faculty such as mathematics educators, yet they are often insufficiently specified. This study analyzed 143 documents from 82 U.S. universities that purport to describe expectations for mathematics education faculty, including department-, college-, and university-level materials. We examined the extent to which these documents provide detailed guidance about scholarly activity relevant to tenure. Our analysis reveals that many documents lack specificity regarding which activities count as scholarship, how they are evaluated, and the extent to which they are expected. Explicit statements about expectations are rare, and value comparisons among scholarly activities are often absent, leaving faculty to infer priorities. Although some documents include useful qualifiers and flexibility, ambiguity is widespread and frequently unhelpful. These findings indicate that expectations documents often fail to provide actionable guidance for faculty and evaluators. We conclude by offering recommendations for improving the clarity, specificity, and usefulness of research expectations documents for mathematics education and similar hybrid fields.