1297.0 - Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/03/2008

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About this Release
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1,Introduction
Chapter 2,Type of Activity
Chapter 3,Fields of Research
Chapter 4,Socio-economic Objective
Chapter 5,Correspondence Tables
Contents
A new research classification for a new century (Media Release)

CHAPTER 3 FIELDS OF RESEARCH

NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE FOR CLASSIFICATION

The ANZSRC FOR allows R&D activity to be categorised according to the methodology used in the R&D, rather than the activity of the unit performing the R&D or the purpose of the R&D.

The categories in the classification include major fields and related sub-fields of research and emerging areas of study investigated by businesses, universities, tertiary institutions, national research institutions and other organisations.

This classification allows the categorisation of fields of research activity within Australia and New Zealand.

STRUCTURE OF THE FOR CLASSIFICATION

The FOR is a hierarchical classification with three levels, namely Divisions (2 digits), Groups (4 digits) and Fields (6 digits). Each level is identified by a unique number.

Each Division is based on a broad discipline. Groups within each Division are those which share the same broad methodology, techniques and/or perspective as others in the Division. Each Group is a collection of related Fields of research. Groups and Fields of research are categorised to the Divisions sharing the same methodology rather than the Division they support.

The hierarchical structure of the FOR is illustrated below:

Level	Example
Division	09 Engineering
Group		0901 Aerospace Engineering
Field			090101 Aerodynamics (excl. Hypersonic Aerodynamics)

PRINCIPLES FOR RECOGNISING FIELDS OF RESEARCH

The conceptual framework adopted for the development of the FOR uses R&D activities according to the field in which research is undertaken and based on the processes and techniques used in the R&D.

In the interests of international statistical comparisons, the FOR classification, as far as is practicable, aligns at the two digit Division level with the OECD's Fields of Science 2007 classification.

This development started with the ASRC 1998, and identified research categories that reported very little funding in the past three ABS R&D surveys were either merged with other categories or deleted, but only in consultation with experts in the respective fields. Alternatively, Divisions or Groups which are highly active, as judged by experts and evidenced in ABS surveys, and able to be split further have been disaggregated into new Groups and Fields allowing for greater detail of data to be collected. Additional fields of research identified by experts as emerging and significant have been added.

In parallel, research categories significant in New Zealand assembled by Statistics NZ from consultations with their stakeholders have been incorporated.

GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFYING BY FIELDS OF RESEARCH

Consistent use of the following general procedures should ensure consistent and successful use of the classification among users.

A research project or research program is to be allocated to a FOR field in a hierarchical manner. This is achieved by:

first determining the division in which the largest component of the research project or research program is being performed; then
determining the most relevant group within that division; and then
determining the most relevant field within that group.

Many R&D projects will be a homogeneous body of work in a specific field. These are more straightforward to categorise. However, the emergence of new interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary fields of research is a feature of the modern R&D environment, both within Australia and New Zealand and elsewhere in the world. The categorisation of such fields within a hierarchical and exclusive classification system can pose difficulties for users of the FOR. The use of multiple fields to classify a research project ensures that this research is accommodated within the classification structure.

If the project or program is sufficiently large or complex (in terms of research areas) then multiple fields should be selected and attributed with a proportion of resources relative to the project's or program's total R&D expenditure. If the disaggregation is difficult, consideration of relative importance may indicate a primary field only (whether a specific or more general subject focus).

Where a defined field cannot be identified within a group for a research project or research program, the 'not elsewhere classified' category at the field level is to be used.

FOR DIVISION CODES AND TITLES

At times it can be useful to view groupings of fields of research from alternative perspectives, which do not align with the FOR division structure.

ALTERNATIVE GROUPINGS OF FOR FIELDS

Besides the primary structure, alternative groupings are provided to aid the understanding of research from different cultural perspectives which are unique to Australia and New Zealand.

The following alternative groupings of selected FOR fields are provided here:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Maori Studies
Pacific Peoples Studies

Definition of Pacific Peoples

Note: "Pacific peoples" are those people who identify with or feel they belong to one or more Pacific ethnicities. The term applies to a person who has emigrated from one of the lesser islands of the Pacific to Australia or New Zealand, or one of their descendants born in Australia or New Zealand. While the majority of these people originate from Polynesia, others come from Micronesia and Melanesia. This definition excludes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and New Zealand Maori.

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER STUDIES

MAORI STUDIES

PACIFIC PEOPLES STUDIES