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The Theory and Practice of Applied Social Research

University of Massachusetts at Amherst

James D. Wright

University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Sonia R. Wright

University of Massachusetts at Amherst

This essay contrasts basic and applied social research, noting that the major partion of applied social research is pursued outside academic settings. Several reasons are given for this pattern, including the inability of university researchers to produce research on the scale and under the time pressures demanded by government agencies. An impressianistic survey of applied social research discerns a relative lack of quality, in part produced by poor procurement practices and in part due to the lowerprestige of applied social research as employment. Trends toward improvement are noted with some optimistic chance for future applied social research to reach the highest standards needed for findings that may be of importance to social policy.

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