Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The purpose of this study was to investigate the use, and lack of use, of computers by social scientists.Main Topics:Variables Department composition (number of research and academic staff, post-graduate and undergraduate students), whether desk calculators/card or paper tape equipment are used, if so - type and location, whether access is adequate at normal/peak times, details of any shortage and reasons. Use of computers, type and location, number and location of remote terminal facilities, limitations imposed, details of any plans to improve or extend facilities, type of work done, nature of backing store, compilers currently used, nature of special peripheral devices, by whom departmental equipment can be used, details of time sharing arrangements. Which high level languages and/or compilers used by staff on post-graduate students, type of general programs and packages used, programming abilities/program usage of staff and students. Whether any department members have shown interest in computing as such (not only as research tool)/undertaken research into computer techniques and methods/developed general purpose programs. Sources of computing assistance and opinion of adequacy, method by which department gets computer time (e.g. special priority, weekly allocation, batch queue), details of user- representation, adequacy of computer access, whether extra time can be obtained, access at night. Use of outside computers since October 1970 and reasons, whether paid for and what proportion. Use of computer for teaching, amount of central processing time during 70-71 academic year, whether any formal provision made for computer training, if so - by/for whom and level, for what proportion of students are courses required/optional. Most important problems encountered in research and teaching, opinion of computer's role in department work, developments expected/hoped for over next few years.