This article discusses the development of academic research in the archives and records management field. It is argued that the field has faced a dilemma between educating graduates for work in a professional domain and developing robust research methods and frameworks for the emerging academic discipline. The article reports on some projects which have developed research frameworks and networks in the UK and internationally and considers some future directions for archives and records management research. In the light of the Research Assessment Exercise 2008, and in preparation for the Research Excellence Framework 2014, this is a good time to take stock of the progress made in this sub field of LIS and map its future strategic direction. (Contains 3 notes.)