Metrication Resources for Researchers

Case Studies | Government Accountability Office | NBS/NIST | U.S. Metric Board | Education Research | Metrication Guides | Historical Records

Organizations and others interested in discovering more about U.S. metrication are invited to explore this curated list of publications and related resources.

Case Studies

• Antoine, V. (1997). General Guidance to Companies Involved in Going Metric. U.S. Metric Association.
• Hillger, D. (2007, May/June). The General Motors Metric Story. USMA Metric Today. U.S. Metric Association.
• Hillger, D. (2007, July/August). Metrication at Caterpillar Tractor. USMA Metric Today. U.S. Metric Association.
• Holland, A. J. (1997). Metric Implementation in U.S. Construction. University of Florida.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). Adopting the International System of Units for Radiation Measurements in the United States: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (1998). Mars Climate Orbiter Information on National Space Science Data Center.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (1999). Mars Climate Orbiter Team Finds Likely Cause of Loss.
• Peterson Builders, Inc. for Newport News Shipbuilding (1993, October). Metrication of U.S. Shipbuilding - The Challenges and the Opportunities. U.S. Department of the Navy Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center.
• United States Government Accountability Office. (2008, August 29). Carbon Offsets.
• U.S. Metric Association. (2015, September 18). Unit Mixups.
• Williams, M. (2003, July-August). The 156-tonne Gimli Glider. Flight Safety Australia.

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Government Accountability Office (GAO) Reports

• Government Accountability Office. (1978). Getting a Better Understanding of the Metric System: Implications if Adopted by the United States, Report and Executive Summary.
• Government Accountability Office. (1979, May). Presidential Appointments to the United States Metric Board.
• Government Accountability Office. (1979, November). Oversight of the United States Metric Board.
• Government Accountability Office. (1981). Approval of the Metric Board Accounting Principles and Standards Statement.
• Government Accountability Office. (1982). Approval of the Metric Board Accounting System Design.
• Government Accountability Office. (1990, April 2). Metric Conversion: Plans, Progress, and Problems in the Federal Government.
• Government Accountability Office. (1990, April 24). Metric Conversion: Plans, Progress, and Problems in the Federal Government.
• Government Accountability Office. (1994). Metric Conversion: Future Progress Depends Upon Private Sector and Public Support.
• Government Accountability Office. (1995). Highway Signs: Conversion to Metric Units Could Be Costly.

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National Bureau of Standards (NBS)/National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• NBS Special Publication (SP) 345. (1971, July). Report to Congress. A Metric America: A Decision Whose Time Has Come.
• NBS Special Publication (SP) 441. (1976, January). Successful Experiences in Teaching Metric.
• NIST Special Publication (SP) 814. (1991). Interpretation of the SI for the United States and Metric Conversion Policy for Federal Agencies.
• NBS Technical Note (TN) 872. (1975). Computer Program Package for Metric Conversion.
• NIST Grant/Contractor Report (GCR) 96-686 (1995, May), Study to Identify Industries Positioned for Significant Impact on U.S. Metrication.
• NIST Grant/Contractor Report GCR 99-783. (1999, October). U.S. Manufactures with Product Conforming to Metric Standards: An Analysis.

U.S. Metric Board Publications

• Applied Concepts Corporation. (1981, August). A Study of Metric Conversion of Distilled Spirits Containers: A Policy and Planning Evaluation. Task I. Comprehensive Report on the Conversion Process. U.S. Metric Board.
• Applied Concepts Corporation. (1981, October). A Study of Metric Conversion of Distilled Spirits Containers: A Policy and Planning Evaluation. Final Report on Findings and Lessons Learned.  U.S. Metric Board.
• Applied Concepts Corporation. (1981, December). Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Awareness of the Metric Conversion of Distilled Spirits Containers. A Special Report for: A Study of Metric Conversion of Distilled Spirits Containers: A Policy and Planning Evaluation.  U.S. Metric Board.
• Birch & Davis Associates, Inc. (1982, June). Going Metric—Is it for You? A Planning Model for Small Manufacturing. U.S. Metric Board.
• J.F. Coates, Inc. (1981, June 2). The Search for Small Businesses with Investments in Metric Production. U.S. Metric Board.
• J.F. Coates, Inc. (1982, February 8). Case Studies of Large Business-Small Business Interaction. The Consequences of Metric Production for Small Manufacturers (Volume II). U.S. Metric Board.
• J.F. Coates, Inc. (1982, April 20). Metric Use in the Machine Tool Industry: A Status Report and a Test of Assessment Methodology. U.S. Metric Board.
• Middlesex Research Center, Inc. (1981, July). Effects of Metric Change on Workers’ Tools and Training. U.S. Metric Board.
• Middlesex Research Center, Inc. (1982, April 21). Effects of Metric Change on Safety in the Workplace for Selected Occupations. U.S. Metric Board.
• U.S. Metric Board. (1979, June 29). The Conversion of Retail Fuel Pump Computers to Sale by the Liter
• U.S. Metric Board. (1979, December). Providing a Metric Option: Can Laws and Regulations be Amended in a Timely Manner?
• U.S. Metric Board. (1981, August). Metric Issues for Small Business – Executive Summary.
• U.S. Metric Board. (1982, May). Status and Outlook Metric Conversion of Standards: The Views of Nine Selected Major Standards Development Bodies

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Education Research

• Phelps, R. P. (1996, February). Education System Benefits of U.S. Metric Conversion. Evaluation Review, Vol. 20 No. 1, 84 to 118.
• Enderson, M. C. and Selover, D. D. (2021, March 4). The US Failure to Adopt the Metric System: The High Cost of Teaching the English System. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology.

Metrication Guides

• Benedict, J. T. (1977). Metrication for the Manager. American National Metric Council.
• Birch & Davis Associates, Inc. (1982, June). Going Metric—Is it for You? A Planning Model for Small Manufacturing. U.S. Metric Board.
• Hellard, R. B. and Connolly, J. V. (1971). Metric Change: A Management Action Plan. Kogan Page Ltd.
• Sellers, R. C. (1975). Dun & Bradstreet’s Guide to Metric Transition for Managers.

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Historical Records

• Legislative history of the Metric Conversion Act: 1975 is available via the Heinonline database, including the testimony and requirements for selecting the members of the board.
• The U.S. National Archives collection, College Park, MD includes the records of the United States Metric Board (Record Group 40.7.8):  “Textual Records: Minutes, annual reports, research reports, surveys, and studies, 1979-82.”
• The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library collection includes the records for the “Boards and Commissions Staff” who were “responsible for identifying, recruiting, evaluating, and proposing Presidential appointment candidates for membership on departmental and independent boards and commissions.” Containers i23-i31 in this collection include the nominations for the Metric Board.
• The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library collection includes records on the U.S. Metric Board nominations. Search for key phrases on the web site.

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Explore Metrication Resources

• U.S. Metrication
• Metrication Best Practices
• Metrication Costs and Benefits
• Metrication Case Studies
• Errors and Mishaps
• Metrication in Law
• Education Metrication
• Metrication Training

Disclaimer: Any mention of commercial products within NIST web pages is for information only; it does not imply recommendation or endorsement by NIST.

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