The teaching of graphic design has been developed within the design workshop classroom, whose pedagogical model is based on the «study», which is an academic space poorly permeated by research practices. However, for the traditional academic disciplines, research is a key element for progress in the knowledge of the field discipline, the assessment and improvement of pedagogical practices, and the development of curricula in response to the changing needs of society. Therefore, research should become a fundamental element in the design workshop. That is the reason why this article is a literature review on the approaches to research in design, to research on pedagogy of design and to the design approach to knowledge.