In this article, the authors explore common and emerging conceptions of what constitutes
knowledge in educational administration, how knowledge relates to practice, and
how individuals in universities and schools can engage in a particular kind of knowledge
work—research. The authors suggest that a fully articulated perspective on research in
educational administration might characterize research as occupying a multidimensional
space delineated along three dimensions: why the research is done, who conducts
the research, and how the research is done. Productive, interesting, and generative research
can be situated anywhere on these dimensions, and five principles can be used to
guide various forms of research. The implication is that although currently the field of
educational administration encompasses two communities of practice, we should strive
toward becoming one community of scholars. The authors discuss how doctoral programs might develop students for this community of scholars and provide a case example
from one university.