Research in Educational Administration and Leadership (REAL) is a quarterly-published, non-commercial, open-access, peer-reviewed international journal dedicated to the dissemination of academic research in the field of educational administration and leadership. Manuscripts submitted to REAL are accepted in the English language and may employ diverse research methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods studies, case studies, reviews, and innovative research practices. The Editorial team also welcomes conceptual papers seeking to address a wide spectrum of issues in the practice and theory of educational administration and leadership.

It is noteworthy that the acceptance and publication of scale development studies within REAL are infrequent. However, a limited number of exceptional, original, and innovative scale development studies may be considered, particularly if they are oriented towards addressing novel challenges in the field of educational leadership. Notably, as of the year 2024, there is an editorial decision to gradually reduce the acceptance of higher education papers for publication. This shift in focus aims to realign the journal's emphasis towards K–12 school administration and leadership, as well as relevant education policies.

REAL is indexed and/or ranked by the following databases and scholarly metrics: