388 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



IS EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH YIELDING 

 APPROPRIATE DIVIDENDS? 



Walter S. Monroe, University of Illinois 



It may perhaps appear suggestive of heresy to an- 

 nounce a title which raises the question of the value of 

 educational research, hut the experience of several years 

 devoted largely to this field and my contacts with other 

 investigators have convinced me that this is a question 

 of vital importance. About ten years ago there began 

 to be established in colleges and universities explicit or- 

 ganizations for the avowed purpose of conducting edu- 

 cational research. Several of these research organiza- 

 tions now enjoy liberal appropriations for this work. 

 Somewhat similar research departments have been estab- 

 lished in a number of public school systems. At the 

 present time the number of such organizations in exist- 

 ence is probably one hundred. In addition there are a 

 large number of workers who are carrying on educa- 

 tional research as personal projects. The Commonwealth 

 Fund, General Educational Board, and other educational 

 foundations are making generous donations to both in- 

 dividuals and research bureaus. The total annual ex- 

 penditure for educational research is unknown, but un- 

 doubtedly it amounts to several hundred thousands of 

 dollars. 



The amount of educational research is also indicated 

 by the large number of published reports. In the ad- 

 vance sheets of the biennial survey of education for 1920- 

 22, a summary of certain phases of educational research 

 for that period includes bibliographies totaling 518 titles. 

 School surveys and mental tests are not included. Fur- 

 thermore, it is announced that only the principal con- 

 tributions are given in. these bibliographies. Beginning 

 in 1917, the Bureau of Educational Research at the Uni- 

 versity of Illinois has compiled a list of masters' and 

 doctors ' theses in Education. Although the compilations 

 are not complete, as all the institutions have not reported 

 their titles, 410 doctors' and 1896 masters' theses have 

 been listed during a period of six years. All doctorial 

 dissertations are expected to be significant contributions 



