What is Institutional Research?

Institutional Research is the planning, coordination, collection, organization, compiling, and dissemination of information concerning the characteristics and performance of the institution.

The purpose of Institutional Research is to provide objective, systematic and thorough research that supports the institution's goals, planning, policy formation, and decision making.

"Broadly, 'institutional research' is viewed as a range of activities involving the collection, analysis and interpretation of information descriptive of an institution and its activities, including its students and staff, programs, management and operations. The findings of such 'institutional research' can assist institutional leaders (in both academic and administrative domains) through informing their planning and decision making." Zimmer, B

Institutional Research:

• Assists the executive of the institution, chairs, senior administrators, management and educational committees in their planning and assessment activities.
• Serves as a primary contact with state and federal agencies with respect to information reporting.
• Responds to internal and external data requests.
• Produces educational and organizational studies, reports and summaries.
• Develops and maintains a cycle of regular institutional studies, reports and databases designed to support recurring decision needs of the institution.
• Serves as a reliable source for comprehensive and authoritative information about the institution.
• Oversees the institution's response to national statistical surveys, questionnaires and other non-routine requests for data or information.
• Serves as a resource for techniques of institutional research, research methodologies and the design and execution of information systems and surveys.

A Short Institutional Research Bibliography:

Muffo, John A., McLaughlin, Gerald W.,A Primer for Institutional Research, Association for Institutional Research, 1987

Peterson, Marvin W., Mets, Lisa A., Vega, Linda S. (editors), "Theory and Applications of Institutional Research", in Reference Sources: An annotaated Bibliograpy for Institutional Research, Association for Institutional Research, 1993

Saupe, Joe L., The Functions of Institutional Research, Association for Institutional Research, 1990.

Terenzini, Patrick T., "On the nature of Institutional Research and the Knowledge and Skills it Requires," Research in Higher Education, Vol. 34, No. 1, 1993

Whiteley, Meredith A., Porter, John D., Fenske, Robert H., The Primer for Institutional Research, Association for Institutional Research, 1992.

Zimmer, B; JIRA, Vol.4 No.1, May 1995, pg.74, "Achieving Quality Within Funding Constraints: The Potential Contribution of Institutional Research"