NSF/SRS Postdoc Data Project: Phase 2

A multi-year project to study postdocs in the US

Home

PDP Background

PDP Rationale

PDP Phases

PDP Methodology

Postdoc Literature

Previous Research

Response Behavior Survey

Phase 1

Phase 2 Overview

Postdoc Definitions

Definitions Background

PDP Definitions Project

Establishment Definitions

Individual Definitions

Definitions Conclusions

Evaluating Lists

List-assessment Process

List-assessment Interview

Approaches

Funding Agency Study

FAS Background

FAS Sampling Strategy

FAS Data Collection

FAS Findings

Postdoc Questionnaire

Questionnaire Background

Questionnaire Methods

Questionnaire Sections

Questionnaire Assumptions

Additional Resources

Acronyms

Papers and Presentations

Postdoc Links

Contact Us

 
Questionnaire Background

PDP conducted a series of outreach activities with the postdoc community to learn more about data needs. These explorations informed development of a postdoc questionnaire to supplement existing SRS surveys.

The questionnaire was designed to fill content gaps in postdoc data by collecting information about:

Characteristics of a postdoc?

  • Demographics
  • Field of study
  • Employment sector (academic and non-academic)
  • Degree source (US-degreed and foreign-degreed)
  • Comparisons with non-postdocs


Number of postdocs in the US

  • Employment sector (academic and non-academic)
  • Degree type (PhD or PhD-equivalent)
  • Degree source (US-degreed and foreign-degreed)
  • Race and sex


Current training opportunities

  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Management and administration
  • Career development
  • Comparisons by:
    • Degree type (PhD or PhD-equivalent)
    • Degree source (US-degreed and foreign-degreed)
    • Employment sector (academic and non-academic)
    • Early career researcher (postdocs and non-postdocs)


Reasons for taking a postdoc

  • Career goals
  • Determinants of a successful postdoc
  • Comparisons by:
    • Degree type (PhD or PhD-equivalent)
    • Degree source (US-degreed and foreign-degreed)
    • Employment sector (academic and non-academic)
    • Early career researcher (postdocs and non-postdocs)



 
Postdoc Questionnaire

Questionnaire-development Methods-->

©2006-2009 Postdoc Data Project
Site created and maintained by
Survey Sciences Group, LLC, the NSF/SRS contractor for PDP Phase 2.