Survey on the Status of Educational Researchers

The participation and status of minority persons and women in educational research and development organizations and researchers' perceptions of inequitable treatment and effective responses to inequitability were examined in three surveys by the American Educational Research Association. These surveys were undertaken to remedy the lack of specific information on sex and ethnic differences. The first survey of research organizations found both women and minorities underrepresented, with women more apt to be part time workers or clustered in lower level full time jobs. Minorities were clustered at lower levels as well, but in the private nonteaching sector whereas women were in the public education sector. The survey of individual researchers found strong sex differences on most variables, with the differences always favoring men. Complex racial differences favored whites, but not with the consistency or degree shown in sex differences. Researchers' uses of work time and research funding showed no racial differences. Most inequitable treatment mentioned by minorities and women related to employment rather than professional activity. Self-selected individuals in the telephone survey indicated negative inequitable treatment but made few effective responses to the treatment. In their suggestions to increase equity, few had much hope of its effective achievement. (Author/CM)