Chapter Ⅰ Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Problem Statement 2
1.3 Research Questions and Objectives 3
1.4 Study Significance 5
1.5 Study Organization 5
Chapter Ⅱ Literature Review 6
2.1 The Concerns of Landscape Architecture Practice 6
2.1.1 Professionalization and Knowledge in Modern Professions 6
2.1.2 Professionalization of Landscape Architecture and Its Knowledge 8
2.1.3 The Existing Scope of Knowledge in Landscape Architecture 11
2.1.4 Summary of the Section 19
2.2 The Significance of Research in Landscape Architecture Practice 20
2.2.1 Definition of Research 21
2.2.2 Attitude toward Research 21
2.2.3 Use of Research in Landscape Architecture Practice 22
2.2.4 Summary of the Section 23
2.3 The Need of Research in Landscape Architecture Practice 23
2.3.1 Advancing Knowledge in Design Professions 23
2.3.2 The Significance of Research 28
2.3.3 Summary of the Section 29
2.4 The Dissemination of Research Findings by Landscape Architecture Educators 29
2.4.1 Research Conducted by Educators in Landscape Architecture 30
2.4.2 Research Disseminated by Landscape Architecture Educators 33
2.4.3 Summary of the Section 35
2.5 Summary of the Chapter 35
Chapter Ⅲ Methodology 38
3.1 Survey Method 38
3.1.1 The Rationale for Selecting the Population and Using an Internet-based Survey Method 38
3.1.2 Research Questions and Questionnaire Design 39
3.1.3 Sampling Method and Questionnaire Distribution 42
3.1.4 Description of Respondents 43
3.2 Analysis Method 45
3.2.1 Descriptive Statistics 45
3.2.2 Comparative Analysis 45
3.2.3 Dimension Analysis 46
3.3 Summary 47
Chapter Ⅳ Results and Discussion 48
4.1 The Concerns of Landscape Architecture Practice 49
4.1.1 A Changing Profession 49
4.1.2 The Perceived Knowledge-Bases of the Current Practice 50
4.1.3 The Changing Perception of Knowledge-Bases 51
4.1.4 Knowledge Areas and Domains 53
4.1.5 Summary of the Section 55
4.2 The Significance of Research in Landscape Architecture Practice 56
4.2.1 Definitions of Research 56
4.2.2 Attitude toward Research 61
4.2.3 Types of Thinking and Sources of Knowledge that Support Decision-Making 63
4.2.4 The Purposes of Using Research 64
4.2.5 Summary of the Section 66
4.3 The Need for Research in Landscape Architecture Practice 67
4.3.1 The Importance of Research in Different Design Stages 67
4.3.2 Research in Post-Occupancy Evaluation 68
4.3.3 Additional Need by Knowledge Areas 69
4.3.4 Summary of the Section 72
4.4 Dissemination of Research Findings in Landscape Architecture 72
4.4.1 Media Used to Obtain New Knowledge in Landscape Architecture 73
4.4.2 Knowledge Produced through Research 74
4.4.3 Media for Disseminating Research Findings 77
4.4.4 Summary of the Section 79
4.5 Mapping the Knowledge：A Holistic Interpretation 80
4.5.1 Integrating ASLA survey with CELA survey 80
4.5.2 Two Dimensions of the Knowledge Map 82
4.5.3 Knowledge Map：Constructs and Measures 85
4.5.4 Demand and Supply of Research in Knowledge Map 93
4.5.5 Summary of the Section 96
4.6 Summary of the Chapter 99
Chapter Ⅴ Conclusion and Implications 101
5.1 Conclusion and Discussion of Major Findings 101
5.1.1 The Concerns of Landscape Architecture Practice 101
5.1.2 The Significance of Research in Landscape Architecture Practice 103
5.1.3 The Need for Research in Landscape Architecture Practice 105
5.1.4 Dissemination of Research Findings in Landscape Architecture 106
5.2 Implications and Suggestions 108
5.2.1 Profession in General 108
5.2.2 Educators 109
5.2.3 Practitioners 110
5.2.4 Professional Organizations 110
5.3 Limitations of the Study and Improvements 111
5.3.1 A Vague Definition of Research 111
5.3.2 Not Being Able to Articulate the Data Once it is Collected 112
5.3.3 Differences in the Interpretations of Knowledge Areas 112
5.3.4 Sample Representativity 112
5.4 Future Research Considerations 112
5.5 Summary of the Chapter 114
Bibliography 116
Appendix A Questionnaire Design 124
Appendix B Contacting Letters 134
Appendix C IRB Approval 137
Appendix D Survey Results-General Descriptive Statistics 139
Appendix E Survey Results-Histogram 156
List of Tables 174
List of Figures 176