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Reviews are one of the main means by which the findings of educational research are communicated to audiences outside the research community. In this article, we look at some aspects of the production of reviews in the light of this function. Attention is given to issues relating to the initiation of reviews, the definition of the field to be covered, the coverage and treatment of relevant research, and the drawing of conclusions. The discussion is illustrated by reference to some recent examples of reviews of educational research.

In recent years a number of studies conducted in schools have claimed to provide evidence of the existence of racism amongst teachers, and practices within schools which significantly disadvantage many ethnic minority students. Unfortunately, there has been a tendency to accept such studies rather uncritically, without questioning the nature of the evidence they present to support their conclusions. In this paper I examine two such studies from a more critical point of view. I argue that both suffer from a number of serious weaknesses and that their claims should not have been accepted in the way that they have been.