This article discusses problems of reconstructing the recent development in the field of empirical research on education ("empirische Bildungsforschung"), especially problems resulting from its interdisciplinary character, its divergent institutional contexts and its multimethod approach. The article looks at the position of various disciplines--in particular, science of education ("Erziehungswissenschaft") and educational psychology--involved in research on education as an interdisciplinary field of study. Compared to previous times, important shifts concerning the relation between these two disciplines can currently be observed. The argument is about the notion of competence, about the right to define success criteria and about resources. Finally, this discussion focusing on Germany is then placed in the wider context of different cognitive and institutional forms of doing and organizing education studies and research in different countries.