This booklet resulted from a survey of Canadian school board research units and from a seminar for school board research officers held in Toronto in May 1974. It explains what usually makes up a school board research unit and how a research unit typically relates to the staff and administrative organization of a school system. The 11 activities most commonly reported in a survey of functioning research units are listed and briefly discussed. A discussion of the possible advantages that could come out of a district's having a research officer and some guidelines for hiring one is also included. (Author/JG)