This document comprises a collection of workshop papers addressing the issues of doing research on the complex social and human problems faced in any community from an Asian American perspective. The following topics are discussed: (1) the nature of community research; (2) the pros and cons of pure basic and applied research; (3) the nature and role of advocacy social science research; (4) the ethical responsibilities of community-based researchers to the community, and those of the community to the researcher; and (5) the problems of an outsider as opposed to those of an insider doing research on ethnic and racial minority groups. Contents are the following: (1) "Issues in Community Research" (F. J. Miyamoto); (2) "Research for What? Beyond Needs Assessment Research" (L. C. Hirata); (3) "Community Research among Asian Americans: Problematic Issues and Resolutions" (C. Loo); (4) "A New Model for Community-Action Research" (P. Park); and (5) "Community Research and the Asian American Mental Health Research Center" (W. T. Liu). A summary of audience discussion following the presentations and a section of conclusions are included. Some papers include brief lists of references. (FMW)