Diane M. Barone is Professor Literacy Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. In her role at the university, she teaches courses in early literacy, diversity and literacy, and qualitative research. Her research interests center on young children, especially in high poverty schools, and how they develop in literacy. Her most current study followed 16 children from kindergarten through to Grade 6 to document their literacy growth. She has been an editor of Reading Research Quarterly and has written numerous articles, book chapters, and books. Some of her recent books include Reading First in the Classroom with Joan Taylor and Darrin Hardman, Literacy and Young Children: Research-Based Practices with Lesley Morrow, Teaching Early Literacy: Development, Assessment, and Instruction with Marla Mallette and Shelley Xu, and The National Board Certification Handbook. She is also Principal Investigator for Reading First in Nevada and serves as a member of the board for the International Reading Association.

Nell K. Duke, EdD, is Associate Professor of Teacher Education and Learning, Technology, and Culture at Michigan State University, East Lansing. Her research focuses on early literacy development, particularly among children living in urban poverty. Her specific areas of expertise include the development of informational literacies in young children, comprehension teaching and learning in early schooling, approaches to addressing the needs of struggling reader/n-/writers, and issues of equity in literacy education. She has used a variety of research methodologies in her own work and teaches courses on research design. Dr. Duke has a strong interest in the preparation of educational researchers and has published and presented on this topic.
Marla H. Mallette, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Literacy Education at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Her research interests include literacy teacher education, literacy instruction and learning with students of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and the convergence of early literacy and technology. She is very interested in research methodologies and has used various methodologies in her own work. Dr. Mallette has also published and presented on literacy research methodologies and the preparation of literacy researchers.