Suggested are concepts and ideas for organizing for institutional research so that it might become a legitimate and separate entity within higher education administration. The following three-way categorization of institutional research is advocated: institutional studies; management analyses; and periodic management reporting. The role of the institutional research office as it relates to institutional studies, management analysis, management information, policy development and implementation, office and institutional operations, and function by subject area is defined. Four organizational models for institutional research are presented (the bureaucratic structure, the systems structure, the collegial structure, and the political structure). The internal institutional research office organization is discussed, and an organizational prototype which serves to demonstrate how the considerations which have been discussed can be used to form a real structure is described. (BD)