This paper offers criticism of rural education research methods, and identifies areas in need of more or better systematic inquiry. It suggests the need to increase the quantity of the highest quality of research and the need for researchers to reach policy makers and "mainstream" education journals more effectively. Five main problems with current research methods, agendas, or products are discussed. This paper suggests that the best collective research is required to promote equity in education. It calls for a clear assessment of the appropriateness of existing school models for rural America, and the need for identifying alternatives, if they exist. The research community needs to expand its databases; available resouces are too often ignored or overlooked. Educators must become more assertive in identifying the context of education as a legitimate empirical variable. Finally, the paper calls for researchers to increase the number of state-by-state studies that illuminate diversity within rural education. (TES)