National Science Foundation
Survey of Research and Development Expenditures
NSF Coding guidelines
Background
Campus NSF Coding Reports
Campus Coding Modifications
NSF Crosswalk table
Information Management responds on behalf of the campuses to the annual NSF Survey of Research and Development Expenditures for the University of California.
The information provided in the survey response is derived from:
- Corporate Account Fund Profile files which assign NSF codes to eligible accounts;
- Expenditures from Corporate Financial System files associated with those accounts.
Compete history and methodology notes can be found on UC's NSF page, located here.
In an effort to solicit campus input in preparation of the survey response, campus participation is required. Published for review are:
- CAFNSF01-1, 01-2 and 01-3 reports from the FNL CAFP campus edit.
- Campus comparison reports, reflecting expenditures for both prior and current fiscal years, summarized
- a) by NSF code and
- b) by Location 2 and Organizational coding.
The color coding in these reports is as follows:- red: reflects an account which should not be included in the survey
- green: account which needs attention, either an NSF code assignment, or reassignment based on prior year activity.
The only selection criteria on the accounts for these reports are that the account group equal 300050 (Current Expenditures: Research).
Campuses are required to review the coding documentation and submit changes via an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet should include the following columns:
| Location 1 | Location 2 | Account | new NSF code |
| 01 | 2 | 600200 | 023 |
| 01 | 2 | 600201 | 024 |
| 01 | 2 | 600202 |
In the above example, UCB is changing coding on systemwide (Location 2 = 2) accounts 600200 and 600201 to 023 and 024 respectively. Account 600202 is reflected without an NSF code, indicating that it should not be included in the survey. (To exclude accounts from the survey, the new NSF code field should be left blank)
In an effort to provide consistent reporting for all of the University of California, campuses are required to adhere to the coding scheme noted in the NSF Crosswalk table below, paying attention to the changes requested in green and red on the comparison spreadsheets.
Changes should also be made to the new year CAFP file to avoid the large number of adjustments necessary each year.
Typical coding adjustments made each year are:
- Linguistics is included (074, Other Social Sciences)
- Nutritional Sciences belongs in 052 Biology
- Food Sciences belongs in 052 Biology
- Entomology belongs in 052 Biology
- Biological Engineering belongs in 018 Bioengineering (a relatively new NSF code)
- Computer Sciences belongs in 042 Computer Sciences, not Electrical Engineering
- Anthropololgy is included and belongs in 073 Sociology, not Other Social Sciences
- Ethnic Studies/Urban Studies is included (074, Other Social Sciences)
- Neurosciences belongs in 053 Medical Science, not Biological Sciences
- Transportation Studies belongs in 013 Civil Engineering
- Medical Pathology belongs in 052 Biological Sciences, not Medical Science
- all Marine Sciences belong in 033 Oceanography
History, Art, Education Research, Philosophy, Languages are never included.
NSF Crosswalk table
Items NOT to be included in the survey:
- Education
- Law
- Humanities
- Visual & Performing Arts
- Business and Management
- Communications, Journalism, and Library Science
- Social Work
- Philosophy
- History
Items to be included (detail is provided by NSF and is included here for reference):
Engineering
011 Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering:
- aerospace,
- aeronautical, and astronautical engineering
- (also aerodynamics, space technology)
012 Chemical Engineering:
- wood science (also petroleum refining process),
- Chemical engineering, polymer/plastics engineering,
- Petroleum Engineering
013 Civil Engineering:
- Architecture,
- Architectural Engineering,
- Civil Engineering,
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
- (also geotechnical, hydraulic, hydrologic, sanitary and environmental, structural, transportation)
014 Electrical Engineering:
- Computer Engineering (also power engineering),
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
015 Mechanical Engineering:
- Engineering Mechanics,
- Mechanical Engineering
016 Other Engineering:
- General Engineering,
- Agricultural Engineering,
- Engineering Physics,
- Engineering Science,
- Industrial/Manufacturing Eng.,
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering,
- Nuclear Engineering,
- Ocean Engineering,
- Systems Engineering,
- Engineering Design,
- Eng/Industrial Management,
- Systems Science and Theory
017 Metallurgical & Materials Engineering:
- Ceramic Sciences and Engineering,
- Materials Engineering, Textile Sciences and Engineering (also welding),
- Geological Engineering,
- Metallurgical Engineering,
- Materials Science,
- Geophysical Engineering,
- Mining and Mineral Engineering,
- Metallurgy
018 Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering:
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
Physical Sciences
021 Astronomy:
- Astronomy,
- Astrophysics
- (also Gamma-ray, neutrino, optical and radio, X-ray)
022 Chemistry:
- Chemistry
- (also analytical, inorganic, organic, organo-metallic, pharmaceutical, physical, polymer sciences (except biochemistry)
023 Physics:
- Physics
- (also acoustics, atomic/molecular, chemical, condensed matter, elementary particles, nuclear structure, optics, plasma, theoretical/mathematical)
024 Other Physical Sciences:
- Physical Sciences,
- General, Miscellaneous Physical Sciences,
- Other (used for multidisciplinary projects within physical sciences and for disciplines not requested separately)
Environmental Sciences
031 Atmospheric:
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
- (also aeronomy, extraterrestrial atmospheres, solar, weather modification)
032 Earth Sciences:
- Surveying, Earth & Planetary Sciences,
- Geological and Related Sciences,
- Cartography
- (also engineering geophysics, general geology, geodesy and gravity, geomagnetism, hydrology, inorganic, isotopic, lab geophysics, organic geochemistry, paleomagnetism, paleontology, physical geography, seismology
033 Oceanography:
- Marine/Aquatic Biology,
- Oceanography
- (also biological, chemical, geological, physical)
034 Other Environmental Sciences:
- (used for multidisciplinary projects within Earth, Atmospheric, and Ocean Sciences)
041 Mathematical Sciences:
- Mathematics, General,
- Applied Mathematics,
- Operations Research,
- Mathematics,
- Statistics,
- Mathematics, Other,
- Math/Computer Sciences
- (also algebra, analysis, foundations and logic, geometry, numerical analysis, topology)
042 Computer Sciences:
- Computer and Information Science, General,
- Management Information Systems
- (also design, development, and application of computer capabilities to data storage and manipulation, information science)
Life Sciences
051 Agricultural:
- Agricultural Production,
- Aquaculture,
- International Agriculture,
- Agricultural Sciences,
- Plant Sciences,
- Soil Science,
- Renewable Natural Resources,
- Landscape Architecture
- (also agricultural chemistry, agronomy, animal science, conservation, fish and wildlife, forestry, horticulture)
052 Biological:
- Foods and Nutrition Studies,
- Biophysics,
- Microbiology/Bacteriology,
- Nutritional Sciences,
- Genetics, Plant and Animal,
- Misc. Bio. Specializations, other,
- Pathology, Human and Animal,
- Zoology/Other,
- Biolog/Life Sciences, Other,
- Medical Immunology,
- Medical Physiology,
- Biology General,
- Botany,
- Anatomy,
- Parasitology,
- Biometrics,
- Zoology,
- Pharmacology, Human and Animal,
- Medical Anatomy,
- Medical Microbiology,
- Medical Toxicology,
- Biochemistry,
- Cell and Molecular Biology,
- Ecology,
- Toxicology,
- Biostatistics,
- Entomology,
- Physiology, Human and Animal,
- Medical Biochemistry,
- Medical Pathology,
- Epidemiology (also allergies and immunology, biogeography, biotechnology, pathology, physical anthropology, virology).
053 Medical:
- Neurosciences,
- Medicine,
- General,
- Optometry,
- Pharmacy,
- Veterinary medicine,
- Radiation Biology/Radiobiology,
- Med Basic Sciences, Other,
- Osteopathic Medicine,
- Podiatry,
- Dentistry,
- Nursing Psychiatry/Mental Health,
- Public Health,
- Anesthesiology,
- Dental/Oral Surgery,
- Gastroenterology,
- Hematology,
- Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine,
- Nuclear Medicine,
- Oncology,
- Othorhinalaryngology,
- Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine,
- Psychiatry (exclude all residency programs),
- Cardiology,
- Dermatology,
- General Surgery,
- Internal Medicine,
- Neurological Surgery,
- Nuclear Radiology,
- Ophthalmology,
- Pediatrics,
- Plastic Surgery,
- Thoracic Surgery,
- Colon and Rectal Surgery,
- Family Medicine,
- Geriatric Medicine,
- Medical Programs,
- Other, Neurology,
- Obstetrics and Gynecology,
- Orthopedics/Orthopedic Surgery,
- Pharmacology,
- Preventive Medicine,
- Urology
054 Other Life Sciences:
- Gerontology,
- Health and Medical Laboratory Technologies,
- Physical Therapy,
- Communication Disorders Sciences and Services,
- Nursing Technologies,
- Rehab/Therapeutic Services,
- Health and Medical Administrative Services,
- Occupational Therapy,
- Health Professions and Related Services, Other
060 Psychology:
- Psychology, general,
- Art Therapy,
- Clinical Psychology,
- School Psychology
- (also animal behavior, educational, experimental, human development and personality, social )
Social Sciences
071 Economics:
- Agricultural Economics,
- Economics,
- Business/Managerial Economics
- (also applied, development, econometrics, industrial, international, labor, public finance and fiscal policy, quantitative resource)
072 Political Science:
- Public Administration,
- Public Admin and Services, other,
- Political Science and Government,
- Public Policy Analysis,
- International Relations and Affairs (also comparative government, legal systems, political theory, regional studies)
073 Sociology:
- Anthropology (Social and Cultural only),
- Demography and Population Studies,
- Sociology
- (also comparative and historical, complex organizations, cultural and social structure, group interactions, social problems and welfare theory)
074 Other Social Sciences:
- City/Urban,
- Community and Regional Planning,
- Social Sciences, general,
- Urban Studies/Affairs,
- Area and Ethnic Studies,
- Criminal Justice & Corrections,
- Archaeology,
- Social Sciences, Other,
- Linguistics,
- Community Services,
- Geography
- (also history of science, socioeconomic and geography)
080 Other Sciences: used when the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary aspecs make the classification under one primary field impossible.
The NSF Crosswalk table is published at:
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/rdexp97/survmats/97qnaire/97qnaire.htm
under Parts 1 and 2 of the Recommended Crosswalk between NSF's fields of science and engineering and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Classification of Instruction Programs section.
Information Management, created November 13, 2000