261 applications were returned for reconsideration, most of which were later approved. One written protest was made against a single disapproval. These objections against approvals were made by fifty-two persons in the laymen member category of the AECs, by twelve in the technician category, and by four in the researcher category. The main sources for the study are documents regarding the AECs, that is, unpublished documents such as applications, minutes, written protests, letters, and so on. Official printed materials including parliamentary and governmental bills, laws, and statues from authorities also have been used, as have books and articles regarding the subject.
Most attention is paid to patterns of disagreement and conflict revealed in the documents.
This is motivated by an attempt to problematize the experienced self-evidence of opinions concerning animal experimentation. There have been many conflicts, especially between 1982 and 1986, both within and outside the AECs. These conflicts have concerned animal experimantation as well as the structure and function of the AECs. Criticism of specific animal experiments has been much more expressed than has possible defence of them. Therefore most of the written sources deal with criticism.