Validation of Examples of Basic Research, Applied Research, and Experimental Development Primarily for Social Science and the Humanities Fields

Attachment
 B

Task
 Order
 20:
 Validation
 of
 Examples
 of
 Basic
 Research,
 Applied
 Research,
 and

Experimental
 Development
 Primarily
 for
 Social
 Science
 and
 the
 Humanities
 Fields

For
 Social,
 Physical,
 Natural
 Sciences,
 and
 Humanities
 Experts

Recruitment
 email

Dear
 <>

I
 would
 like
 to
 invite
 you
 to
 participate
 in
 a
 study
 sponsored
 by
 the
 National
 Science

Foundation’s
 (NSF)
 National
 Center
 for
 Science
 and
 Engineering
 Statistics
 (NCSES)
 to

improve
 our
 understanding
 of
 the
 nature
 of
 research
 and
 development
 (R&D)
 activities

across
 multiple
 fields
 of
 research,
 including
 the
 social
 sciences,
 arts,
 and
 humanities.

 The

goal
 of
 this
 study
 is
 to
 validate
 representative
 examples
 of
 research
 activities
 that
 can
 be

used
 to
 help
 in
 the
 classification
 of
 R&D
 expenditures
 in
 official
 U.S.
 statistics.

We
 will
 ask
 you
 to
 review
 a
 series
 of
 examples
 of
 research
 related
 to
 your
 field
 of
 expertise

through
 a
 brief
 on-­‐line
 survey
 and
 assess
 whether
 or
 not
 they
 are
 representative
 of
 basic

research,
 applied
 research,
 or
 experimental
 development
 based
 on
 your
 expertise
 in
 that

field.

NCSES
 is
 one
 of
 thirteen
 federal
 statistical
 agencies
 in
 the
 United
 States
 and,
 is
 legislatively

mandated
 with
 collecting
 and
 publishing
 data
 on
 R&D.

 Through
 surveys,
 NCSES
 commonly

asks
 respondents
 to
 classify
 different
 research
 activities
 as
 basic
 research,
 applied
 research,

or
 experimental
 development,
 using
 definitions
 that
 have
 been
 agreed
 upon
 by
 more
 than

30
 nations.

We
 have
 gathered
 field-­‐specific
 examples
 of
 R&D,
 because
 we
 believe
 that
 supplying
 survey

respondents
 with
 such
 examples
 of
 R&D
 will
 enable
 respondents
 to
 interpret
 and
 apply

these
 definitions
 more
 accurately
 and
 consistently.

 Now
 we
 are
 attempting
 to
 validate

these
 examples
 by
 asking
 other
 experts
 in
 the
 field.

 Although
 your
 participation
 is

voluntary
 we
 hope
 that
 you
 will
 help
 us
 in
 this
 important
 project
 by
 categorizing
 examples

we
 have
 collected
 into
 the
 three
 categories
 of
 R&D.

 We
 are
 hosting
 this
 validation

electronically
 at:

Please
 click
 on
 this
 link

 to
 help
 us.

Thank
 you
 for
 your
 time
 in
 this
 important
 project.

Christopher
 Pece

Senior
 Analyst

National
 Center
 for
 Science
 and
 Engineering
 Statistics

National
 Science
 Foundation

(703)
 292-­‐7788

Attachment
 B

Follow-­‐up
 phone
 call

Call
 people
 who
 did
 not
 respond
 to
 the
 email
 or
 have
 logged
 onto
 the
 survey
 within
 5
 business

days.

Hello,
 my
 name
 is

 and
 I
 work
 for
 SRI
 International.
 We
 are
 working
 with
 the

National
 Center
 for
 Science
 and
 Engineering
 Statistics
 at
 the
 National
 Science
 Foundation
 to

validate
 examples
 of
 research
 and
 development.
 I
 am
 calling
 to
 follow
 up
 on
 an
 email
 that
 I

sent
 you
 last
 week
 to
 ask
 if
 you
 would
 participate
 in
 a
 brief
 voluntary
 survey
 about
 research

and
 development
 in
 your
 field.

Did
 you
 receive
 my
 email?

If
 yes

Would
 you
 be
 willing
 to
 participate?

If
 yes

Thank
 you.
 I
 will
 send
 you
 the
 hyper-­‐link
 to
 the
 on-­‐line
 survey.

 Can
 you
 please
 confirm

your
 e-­‐mail
 address
 for
 me?

If
 no

I
 understand.
 May
 I
 ask
 if
 you
 could
 recommend
 someone
 else
 in
 your
 field
 that
 you
 think

would
 be
 a
 willing
 to
 help
 to?

For
 Social
 Services
 Organization
 Experts

Recruitment
 email

Dear
 <>

I
 would
 like
 to
 invite
 you
 to
 participate
 in
 a
 study
 sponsored
 by
 the
 National
 Science

Foundation’s
 (NSF)
 National
 Center
 for
 Science
 and
 Engineering
 Statistics
 (NCSES)
 to
 better

understand
 the
 nature
 of
 research
 and
 development
 (R&D)
 activities
 across
 multiple
 fields

of
 research,
 including
 the
 social
 sciences,
 arts,
 and
 humanities.

 The
 goal
 of
 this
 study
 is
 to

validate
 representative
 examples
 of
 research
 activities
 that
 can
 be
 used
 to
 help
 in
 the

classification
 of
 R&D
 expenditures
 in
 official
 U.S.
 statistics.

We
 have
 gathered
 examples
 of
 R&D
 from
 a
 variety
 of
 nonprofit
 organizations,
 because
 we

believe
 that
 supplying
 survey
 respondents
 with
 such
 examples
 of
 R&D
 will
 enable

respondents
 to
 interpret
 and
 apply
 these
 definitions
 more
 accurately
 and
 consistently.

 Now

we
 are
 attempting
 to
 validate
 these
 examples
 by
 asking
 other
 experts.

 We
 hope
 that
 you

will
 help
 us
 in
 this
 important
 project
 by
 categorizing
 examples
 we
 have
 collected
 into
 the

three
 categories
 of
 R&D.

 We
 are
 hosting
 this
 validation
 electronically
 at:

Please
 click
 on
 this
 link

 to
 help
 us.

Thank
 you
 for
 your
 time
 in
 this
 important
 project.

2

Attachment
 B

Christopher
 Pece

Senior
 Analyst

National
 Center
 for
 Science
 and
 Engineering
 Statistics

National
 Science
 Foundation

(703)
 292-­‐7788

Follow-­‐up
 phone
 call

Call
 to
 people
 who
 did
 not
 respond
 to
 the
 email
 or
 logged
 onto
 the
 survey
 within
 5
 business

days.

Hello,
 my
 name
 is

 and
 I
 work
 for
 SRI
 International.
 We
 are
 working
 with
 the

National
 Center
 for
 Science
 and
 Engineering
 Statistics
 at
 the
 National
 Science
 Foundation
 to

validate
 examples
 of
 research
 and
 development.
 I
 am
 calling
 to
 follow
 up
 on
 an
 email
 that
 I

sent
 you
 last
 week
 to
 ask
 if
 you
 would
 participate
 in
 a
 brief
 voluntary
 survey
 about
 research

and
 development
 in
 social
 service
 and
 similar
 non-­‐profit
 organizations.

Did
 you
 receive
 my
 email?

If
 yes

Would
 you
 be
 willing
 to
 participate?

If
 yes

Thank
 you.
 I
 will
 send
 you
 the
 hyper-­‐link
 to
 the
 on-­‐line
 survey.

 Can
 you
 please
 confirm

your
 e-­‐mail
 address
 for
 me?

If
 no

I
 understand.
 May
 I
 ask
 if
 you
 could
 recommend
 someone
 else
 in
 a
 similar
 organization
 as

yours
 that
 you
 think
 would
 be
 a
 willing
 to
 help
 us?

3

Validation of R&D Examples

http://examples.limequery.org/index.php/survey/index/sid/573859...

Validation of R&D Examples
Thank you for agreeing to assist in validating the results of our study. As we mentioned in the
original study invitation, we have gathered field-specific examples of research and development
(R&D). We believe that supplying field-specific examples of R&D in National Science for Science and
Engineering Statistics (NCSES) surveys will enable respondents to interpret these definitions more
accurately and consistently.
We are now attempting to validate these examples by asking experts in your field to review and
comment on them. We ask you to help us in this important project by categorizing the examples
below into the different categories of R&D – basic research, applied research, and experimental
development. The definitions will be provided throughout the survey.
This survey is voluntary. Your name will not be published or released to the public. It will only be
provided in reports to the NCSES. By continuing with this survey you are giving your consent. If
you have any questions about the exercise please contact me at christina.freyman@sri.com or
703-247-8778. If you have any questions about our use of human subjects please contact Judy
Sheenan at human-subjects@sri.com.
OMB control number and statement.
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1 of 1

5/4/15, 10:48 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

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Validation of R&D Examples

Which of the following fields would you identify yourself most closely as a member
of?
Please select only one.

Natural and Physical
Sciences and
Engineering

Humanities

Social Sciences

Archaeology

Economics and Business

Agricultural Sciences

Ethics

Educational Sciences

Astrophysics

History

Law

Basic Medicine

History of Art

Chemical Sciences

Language

Media and
Communications

Computer And Information
Sciences

Literature

Forestry Sciences
Materials Engineering
Medical Engineering

Music

Political Science
Psychology

Performing Arts

Social and Economic
Geography

Philosophy

Sociology

Religion

Nanotechnology
Biological Sciences, not
elsewhere classified

Is there a field not listed above you would have rather picked if it was available?
Yes

No

Please enter your preferred field here.

1 of 2

5/20/15, 1:49 PM

Validation of R&D Examples

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Why did you choose this field?

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2 of 2

5/4/15, 10:48 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

http://examples.limequery.org/index.php/survey/index

Validation of R&D Examples

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics uses the following
definition for basic research.
Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire
new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts,
without any particular application or use in view.

Based on this definition, do you think experts in Agricultural Sciences ever perform
basic research?
Choose one of the following answers

Yes

Please enter your comment here:

No

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics uses the following
definition for applied research.
Applied research is original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new
knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or
objective.
Based on this definition, do you think experts in Agricultural Sciences ever perform
applied research?
Choose one of the following answers

Yes

Please enter your comment here:

No

1 of 2

5/20/15, 1:50 PM

Validation of R&D Examples

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The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics uses the following
definition for experimental development.
Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge
gained from research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing
new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and
services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.
Based on this definition, do you think experts in Agricultural Sciences ever perform
experimental development?
Choose one of the following answers

Yes

Please enter your comment here:

No

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2 of 2

5/20/15, 1:50 PM

Validation of R&D Examples

http://examples.limequery.org/index.php/survey/index

Validation of R&D Examples
Other experts in the field of Agricultural Sciences were asked for examples of basic research,
applied research, and experimental development. Using the following definitions, please
classify the following example.
Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the
underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
Applied research is original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however,
directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research
and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing
new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Example:

Researchers investigate the connection between the genome, phenome, and
environment in maize by producing identical seeds and sending them to
researchers across the country to plant and observe.

Which of the following best describes this example?
Choose one of the following answers

Basic Research
Applied Research
Experimental Development
Example is unclear (please comment below)
Not applicable (please comment below)

Not at all
confident

Not very
confident

Neutral

Confident

Very
confident

How confident
are you in your

1 of 2

5/4/15, 11:57 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

http://examples.limequery.org/index.php/survey/index

Not at all
confident

Not very
confident

Neutral

Confident

Very
confident

answer?

Please tell us why you chose to classify the example in this way:

Could this example be improved?
Yes

No

How?

This survey is currently not active. You will not be able to save your responses.

2 of 2

5/4/15, 11:57 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

http://examples.limequery.org/index.php/survey/index

Validation of R&D Examples
Other experts in the field of Agricultural Sciences were asked for examples of basic research,
applied research, and experimental development. Using the following definitions, please
classify the following example.
Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the
underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
Applied research is original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however,
directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research
and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing
new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Example:

Researchers investigate wild potato genomes to locate the genes responsible for
resistance to potato blight in an effort to improve the disease resistance in
domestic/crop potatoes.

Which of the following best describes this example?
Choose one of the following answers

Basic Research
Applied Research
Experimental Development
Example is unclear (please comment below)
Not applicable (please comment below)

Not at all
confident

Not very
confident

Neutral

Confident

Very
confident

How confident
are you in your

1 of 2

5/4/15, 11:58 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

http://examples.limequery.org/index.php/survey/index

Not at all
confident

Not very
confident

Neutral

Confident

Very
confident

answer?

Please tell us why you chose to classify the example in this way:

Could this example be improved?
Yes

No

How?

This survey is currently not active. You will not be able to save your responses.

2 of 2

5/4/15, 11:58 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

http://examples.limequery.org/index.php/survey/index

Validation of R&D Examples
Other experts in the field of Agricultural Sciences were asked for examples of basic research,
applied research, and experimental development. Using the following definitions, please
classify the following example.
Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the
underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
Applied research is original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however,
directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research
and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing
new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Example:

Researchers investigate genome changes and mutagenic factors in plants to
understand their effects on the phenome.

Which of the following best describes this example?
Choose one of the following answers

Basic Research
Applied Research
Experimental Development
Example is unclear (please comment below)
Not applicable (please comment below)

Not at all
confident

Not very
confident

Neutral

Confident

Very
confident

How confident
are you in your
answer?

1 of 2

5/4/15, 11:58 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

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Please tell us why you chose to classify the example in this way:

Could this example be improved?
Yes

No

How?

This survey is currently not active. You will not be able to save your responses.

2 of 2

5/4/15, 11:58 AM

Validation of R&D Examples

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Validation of R&D Examples

Thank you for your time and participation in this important project.
Did not save
Your survey responses have not been recorded. This survey is not yet active.

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5/4/15, 10:51 AM