The goal of this paper is to present a framework of researcher knowledge development in conducting a study in mathematics education. The key components of the framework are: knowledge germane to conducting a particular study, processes of knowledge accumulation, and catalyzing filters that influence a researcher's decision making. The components of the framework originated from a confluence between constructs and theories in Mathematics Education, Higher Education and Sociology. Previously published interviews with professor Jeremy Kilpatrick and professor Michèle Artigue are used for illustrating how the framework can be utilized in data analysis. Criteria for framework evaluation are discussed.