Cultural anthropology's methods of "emic" and "etic" analysis have potential applications in the theory, research, and practice of educational administration. In "emic" analysis the native informant is made the ultimate judge of the researcher's descriptions and analyses. In "etic" analysis, however, the observer-researcher becomes the ultimate judge of the accuracy of the constructs and concepts employed. Anthropologists use both emic and etic approaches in describing such cultural practices as bovicide in India. The same techniques can be used by educational administrators in their everyday activities--in handling student disruptions, for instance. In educational administration research, emic and etic analysis can assist in both data gathering and theory building. An interviewer using the technique will be aware of the different kinds of observer-informant relationships and of the different ways a question can be asked or answered. By definition, theorists in educational administration use the etic approach, but their awareness of the varieties of emic and etic data can improve their analysis. (Author/RW)