Each year NIST must submit to the National Science Foundation (NSF) a detailed report concerning federal scientific activities.  This information on federal investment in science and technology is increasingly sought and used by the executive and legislative branches of the federal government for policy and management purposes as well as by industrial and academic groups.  To provide up-to-date information on research and development (R&D) activities, cost centers must be coded according to the coding scheme provided in Section 1 of this Appendix.

The NSF also requires information on fields of science.  For NIST to provide this information, cost centers must be coded according to the coding scheme provided in Section 2 of this Appendix.

(1) The following NSF codes are to be used:

Research and Development

--Basic Research - code 1
--Applied Research - code 2
--Development - code 3

Non-R&D - code 4

Research and development include all direct, indirect, incidental, or related costs resulting from or necessary to the performance of research and development as defined below regardless of whether the research and development are performed by a federal agency (intramural) or by private individuals and organizations under grant or contract (extramural).  Research and development exclude routine product testing, quality control, mapping and surveys, collection of general-purpose statistics, experimental production, and activities concerned primarily with the dissemination of scientific information and the training of scientific staff.

NSF Code Definitions

Research is systematic, intensive study directed toward fuller scientific knowledge of the subject studied.  Demonstration activities that are intended to prove or to test whether a technology or method does, in fact, work are included in the definition of research and development.
 
--Basic Research - is concerned primarily with gaining a fuller knowledge or understanding of the subject under study without specific applications toward processes or products in mind.
 
--Applied Research - is primarily interested in a practical use of knowledge or understanding for the purpose of meeting a recognized need.

Development - is systematic use of the knowledge and understanding gained from research directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods, including design and development of prototypes and processes.  It excludes quality control, routine product testing, and production.

Non-R&D - includes technical services which are not covered by the definitions for Research or Development.

(2) The following Field of Science codes are to be used.  Terms in brackets have been added by NIST.
 
a. Physical sciences are concerned with the understanding of the material universe and its phenomena.  They comprise the fields of astronomy, chemistry, physics, and physical sciences not elsewhere classified.  Examples of disciplines under each of these fields are as follows:

11 - Astronomy: laboratory astrophysics; optical astronomy; radio astronomy; theoretical astrophysics; X-ray, Gamma-ray, and neutrino astronomy

12 - Chemistry: analytical; inorganic; organo-metallic; organic; pharmaceutical; physical; polymer sciences (except biochemistry)

13 - Physics: acoustics; atomic and molecular; condensed matter; elementary particles; nuclear structure; optics; plasma; solid state; theoretical/mathematical

19 - Physical sciences, n.e.c.*

b. Mathematics and computer sciences employ logical reasoning with the aid of symbols and are concerned with the development of methods of operation employing such symbols, and in the case of computer sciences, with the application of such methods to automated information systems.  Examples of disciplines under these fields are as follows:

21 - Mathematics: algebra; analysis; applied mathematics; foundations and logic; geometry; numerical analysis; statistics; topology; operations research

22 - Computer sciences: computer and information sciences (general); design, development, and application of computer capabilities to data storage and manipulation; information sciences and systems; management information systems; programming languages; systems analysis

29 - Mathematics and computer sciences, n.e.c.*
 
c. Environmental sciences (terrestrial and extraterrestrial) are concerned with the gross nonbiological properties (with one exception) of the areas of the solar system that directly or indirectly affect human survival and welfare; they comprise the fields of atmospheric sciences, earth sciences, oceanography, and environmental sciences not elsewhere classified.  The one exception is that obligations for studies pertaining to life in the sea or other bodies of water are to be reported as support of oceanography and not biology.  Examples of disciplines under each of these fields are as follows:

31 - Atmospheric sciences: aeronomy; air pollution; extraterrestrial atmospheres; metrology; solar; weather modification

32 - Earth sciences: engineering geophysics; general geology; geodesy and gravity; geomagnetism; hydrology; inorganic geochemistry; isotopic geochemistry; organic geochemistry; laboratory geophysics; paleomagnetism; paleontology; physical geography; seismology sciences

33 - Oceanography: biological oceanography; chemical oceanography; physical oceanography; marine/aquatic biology

39 - Environmental sciences, n.e.c.*

d. Engineering is concerned with studies directed toward developing engineering principles or toward making specific scientific principles usable in engineering practice.  Engineering is divided into eight fields: aeronautical, astronautical, chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, metallurgy and materials, and engineering not elsewhere classified.  Examples of disciplines under each of these fields are as follows:

41 - Aeronautical: aerodynamics
 
42 - Astronautical: aerospace; space technology

43 - Chemical: chemical engineering; petroleum engineering; petroleum refining process; polymer/plastics engineering; wood science

44 - Civil: architectural; environmental/environmental health engineering; geotechnical; hydraulic; hydrologic; sanitary and environmental; structural; transportation

45 - Electrical: computer engineering; electrical, electronics, and communications engineering; power engineering
 
46 - Mechanical: engineering mechanics; mechanical engineering

47 - Metallurgy and materials: ceramic sciences and engineering; geological engineering; geophysical engineering; materials engineering; materials research; materials science; metallurgical engineering; metallurgy; mining and mineral engineering; textile sciences and engineering; welding

49 - Engineering, n.e.c.* agricultural engineering; bioengineering and biomedical engineering; engineering design; engineering physics; engineering science; general engineering; industrial/manufacturing engineering; nuclear engineering; systems engineering; systems science and theory; other engineering
 
80 [Cryogenics] - cryoelectronics; cryogenic materials; refrigerants; superconductors; temperature standards

81 [Measurement] - research related to standards, calibrations, or testing; this field to be used only if engineering fields above cannot be used

82 [Other]
 
e. Life sciences are concerned with the study of living organisms and their systems.  It consists of five detailed fields: biological (excluding environmental), environmental biology, agricultural, medical, and life sciences not elsewhere classified.  The illustrative disciplines provided below under each of these detailed fields are intended to be guidelines, not sharp definitions; they represent examples of disciplines generally classified under each detailed field.  A discipline, however, may be classified under another detailed field when the major emphasis is elsewhere.  Research in biochemistry could be reported as biological, agricultural, or medical, depending on the orientation of the project.  Human biochemistry would be classified under biological, but animal biochemistry or plant biochemistry relating to food production would be under agricultural.  In no case should the research be reported under more than one field.  No double counting is intended or allowed.

51 - Biological
(excluding environmental): anatomy; biochemistry; biology; biometrics and biostatistics; biophysics, biotechnology; botany; cell biology; ecology; entomology and parasitology; epidemiology; genetics; microbiology; neuroscience (biological); nutrition; pathology; physiology; toxicology; virology; zoology; other biological, n.e.c.*

54 - Environmental biology: biotic community ecology; ecosystem sciences; evolutionary biology; global warming; limnology; population biology; systematics; other environmental biology, n.e.c.*

55 - Agricultural sciences: agronomy; animal sciences; conservation; agriculture chemistry; fish and wildlife; forestry; horticulture; plant sciences; soil science; phytoproduction; agriculture, general; other agriculture, n.e.c.*

56 - Medical sciences: anesthesiology; cardiology; dentistry; dermatology; gastroenterology; geriatrics; hematology; neurology; neuroscience; nuclear medicine; obstetrics and gynecology; oncology; ophthalmology; optometry; orthopedics; osteopathic medicine; otorhinolarynopology; pediatrics; pharmacology; podiatry; preventive medicine; psychiatry; public health; radiobiology; radiology; surgery; urology; other medical basic sciences; n.e.c.*
 
59 - Life sciences, n.e.c.* administrative services; allied health; communication disorders; gerontology; health professions and related services; medical laboratory sciences and services; multidisciplinary projects within life sciences; nursing technologies; occupational therapy; physical therapy; rehabilitation/therapeutic services
 
f. Psychology deals with behavior, mental processes, and individual and group characteristics and abilities.  Psychology is divided into three categories: biological aspects, social aspects, and psychological sciences not elsewhere classified.  Fields are as follows:

61 - Biological aspects: animal behavior; clinical psychology; comparative psychology; ethology; experimental psychology; psychometrics

62 - Social aspects: child psychology; development and personality; development psychology; educational, school, vocational psychology; industrial and engineering psychology; social psychology

69 - Psychology, n.e.c.*

g. Social sciences are directed toward an understanding of the behavior of social institutions and groups and of individuals as members of a group.  Social sciences include anthropology, economics, political science, sociology, and social sciences not elsewhere classified.  Examples of disciplines under the field of social sciences are as follows:

71 - Anthropology: applied anthropology; archaeology; cultural and personality anthropology; ethnology; social anthropology

72 - Economics: Agricultural economics, applied economics; business/managerial economics; econometrics; industrial economics; international economics; labor economics; public finance and fiscal policy; quantitative economics; resource economics
 
74 - Linguistics: anthropological/archaeological linguistics; computational linguistics; psycholinguistics; sociolinguistics
 
75 - Political science: area or regional studies; comparative government; international relations and affairs; legal systems; political science and government; political theory; public administration; public policy analysis

76 - Sociology: city, community, and regional planning; comparative and historical; complex organizations; criminology; culture and social structure; demography; ethnic studies; group interactions; social problem and welfare theory; sociology; urban studies/affairs
 
79 - Social sciences, n.e.c.*: socioeconomic geography; research in law and science; geography; general social sciences
 
h. 99 - Other sciences n.e.c.*: Used when the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary aspects make classification under one primary field impossible.
 
i. 00 - Non - R&D
 
*Not elsewhere classified. To be used for multidisciplinary projects within the broad field and for single-discipline projects for which a separate field has not been assigned.