The NSF survey is completed in the January following the end of the fiscal year. The Information Management unit within the department of Information Resources and Communications prepares the report for all UC campuses. Items 1 and 2 ask for current fund expenditures by source of funds and by field of science and engineering. Item 3 collects data on that portion of current fund expenditures reported in Items 1 and 2 that went for the purchase of scientific and engineering research equipment. Research is systematic study directed toward fuller knowledge or understanding of the subject studied.
Research is classified as either basic or applied, according to the objectives of the investigator.
Development is systematic use of the knowledge or understanding gained from research, directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods, including design and development of prototypes and processes. Current funds expenditures. These are expenditures of funds available for current operations. Such expenditures include all unrestricted gifts and restricted current funds to the extent that such funds were expended for current operating purposes. On the monthly campus submissions, campus accounting offices identify or tag research expenditure accounts with NSF discipline codes.