Kate McNeill's areas of expertise and research include the development of the claim, evidence, and reasoning framework, social aspects of science, and strategies to support student and teacher learning. Her research focuses on helping students, teachers and principals in recent reform efforts that focus on science as a set of "practices", like analyzing data, constructing models and arguing from evidence.

Dr. McNeil is the co-author of two books: What's your Evidence? Engaging K-5 Students in Constructing Explanations in Science. (New York, NY: Pearson Allyn & Bacon, 2013) and Supporting Grade 5-8 Students in Constructing Explanations in Science: The Claim, Evidence and Reasoning Framework for Talk and Writing (New York, NY: Pearson Allyn & Bacon, 2012). Dr. McNeill has also co-authored articles including: “ Teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge of scientific argumentation: The impact of professional development on k-12 teachers ” (Science Education); “ Elementary students’ views of explanation, argumentation and evidence and abilities to construct arguments over the school year ” (Journal of Research in Science Teaching); and “The Impact of High School Science Teachers’ Beliefs, Curricular Enactments, and Experience on Student Learning During an Inquiry-Based Urban Ecology Curriculum” (International Journal of Science Education).

Dr. McNeill's projects have been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Hewlett-Packard. She also leads workshops for the National Science Teachers Association and public school districts, including McNeill advises Boston public schools. She currently sits on the National Association for Research in Science Teaching board of directors and serves on the editorial board for the journal, Science Education.