Professor Scotford's research is in design history with a special emphasis on women in design and feminist theory. Her published writings have appeared in American Center for Design Statements, AIGA Journal of Graphic Design, Print magazine, Design Issues, Visible Language and Eye. She was the recipient of National Endowment for the Arts grants to support research on women in design, leading to the publication by WW Norton in 1999 of her book Cipe Pineles: a Life of Design. Following her interest in avant garde typography, Scotford was the instigator and a designer and author for the project "For the Voice Mayakovsky and Lissitzky" published by The British Library in 2000. In 2001 she spent four months teaching at four institutions in India as a Fulbright Lecturer, about which she has written for Visible Language and Design Issues.

Scotford teaches an online History of Graphic Design course annually, which is open to the community.

Prior to entering design education, Martha Scotford was a book designer in Boston.