A conceptual framework for conducting systematic reviews of research in educational leadership and management

Reviews of research are the underappreciated workhorses of academic publication. They seldom attract research funding, and operate largely in the background of the research enterprise. Yet, reviews of research play a critical role in the advancement of knowledge by highlighting milestones of progress along particular lines of inquiry. They point the way towards productive conceptualizations, topics, and methodologies for subsequent research. Well-crafted reviews identify blind spots, blank spots, and intellectual 'dry wells' in the landscape of theory and empirical research (e.g., see Bridges, 1982; Erickson, 1979; Hallinger and Heck, 1996). In sum, research reviews enhance the quality of theoretical and empirical efforts of scholars to contribute to knowledge production (DeGeest and Schmidt, 2010; Donmoyer, Imber, and Scheurich, 1995; Eidel and Kitchel, 1968; Gough, 2007; Murphy, Vriesenga and Storey, 2007; Shemilt, Mugford, Vale, Marsh, Donaldson, and Drummond, 2010). Copyright © 2012 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.