There has been a marked increase in recent years in research studies of the alternative "frameworks of thought" that learners bring to the interpretation of what they meet in school science. Provided are summaries of papers and discussions from a meeting which critically reviewed the methods being used in such research and their theoretical basis. The first section contains summaries of 14 papers which address various issues related to students' existing ideas about science. Sources for obtaining each entire paper and/or references are included. The second section discusses the range of methods used and the variation in intention guiding these inquiries, including the type of representation of results used and the learning theory or theories that the researcher believes. Presented in the third and fourth sections respectively are discussions on the origins of students' alternative conceptions and the value of these studies. (JN)