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Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile (1994)

Chapter: APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES

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Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×

APPENDIX D

TIME-SERIES TABLES

Table D-1 ,Table D-2 ,Table D-3, Table D-4 through Table D-5 show time-series data for survey years 1977, 1981, 1985, 1989, and 1991 for the variables field of doctorate, selected, demographic variables, employment status, employment sector, and primary work activity. These tables control for the effects of the 1991 methodological changes discussed in Appendix A. The objective of making the data as comparable as possible across survey years was accomplished in two ways:

  1. to control for the effects of the higher response rate in 1991, the 1991 estimates were based only on mail respondents, as was the case in years 1977 to 1989;

  2. the 1991 changes to the sampling frame regarding eligibility for inclusion were retrofitted to the 1977-1989 respondent group.

This means that respondents who were 75 or younger were included in the base for estimation. Further, they were counted according to the degree field they specified at the time of degree award, rather than according to a later revision.

The time-series tables do not show estimated totals (or counts), but rather, rates of change between 1977 and subsequent survey years. This is because totals for the years 1977 to 1989 would disagree with those published in earlier years, and totals in 1991 (based only on mail respondents) would disagree with numbers shown earlier in this report, possibly causing confusion and misinterpretation. The rates shown in these tables are indexed to 1977, meaning they show the growth rate in population size between 1977 and a subsequent year. By focusing on relative changes, the index numbers allow the comparison of different populations without regard to their absolute size.

Following are examples of how the tables should be interpreted. Table D-1 shows that the total humanities population (labeled “All Fields”) grew by 16.9 percent between 1977 and 1981, and by 54.3 percent between 1977 and 1991. Table D-3 shows the number of humanities doctorates employed full-time grew by 47.4 percent between 1977 and 1991. In comparison, the number employed part-time grew by 154.1 percent (or about one and one-half times) in that period. On the other hand, some populations experienced a decline. Table D-2 shows that the number of humanities doctorates under age 40 declined by 43.1 percent between 1977 and 1991 (calculated by subtracting 56.9 from 100.0).

There are limitations to these time-series tables of which the reader should be aware. One is that it was not possible to “bridge” the change in sample design or sample size between 1991 and earlier years. Thus, 1991 estimates are based on a sample comprising 44 strata, compared with about 250 strata in earlier years, and on a different set of stratification variables. This affected the weighting and sometimes produced anomalous results. For example, in Table D-1, the field American history was not used in stratification between 1977 and 1989 and shows a decline in numbers in 1991, when it was used to stratify the sample. Stratification better controlled the variance associated with that field and probably produced a more accurate estimate in 1991. (This decline is separate from that noted in Appendix A, caused by the change in the definition of “field”).

Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×

Another limitation is that rates of change can be misleading if interpreted in isolation. For example, although the number of Hispanic humanities doctorates more than doubled between 1977 and 1991, they still represented only a small fraction of the total in 1991, about 3.3 percent. Therefore, large growth rates do not necessarily indicate large gains in numbers.

Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×

TABLE D-1 Humanities Ph.D.s, by Field of Doctorate, 1977 to 1991 (indexed to 1977)

Field of Doctorate

1977

1981

1985

1989

1991

All Fields

100.0

116.9

134.0

147.8

154.3

American History

100.0

134.2

156.9

182.4

174.6

“Other History”

100.0

108.5

115.3

116.7

121.8

Art History

100.0

134.5

168.5

196.8

205.0

Music

100.0

139.2

179.6

222.1

246.8

Speech/Theater

100.0

104.0

111.0

116.8

123.0

Philosophy

100.0

112.1

127.7

137.2

144.1

Eng & Amer Lang/Lit

100.0

115.5

126.5

136.7

140.5

Classical Lang/Lit

100.0

105.6

107.6

112.6

113.4

Modern Lang/Lit

100.0

120.8

135.8

149.9

153.2

“Other Humanities”

100.0

125.2

202.8

255.1

288.7

Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×

TABLE D-2 Demographic Characteristics of Humanities Ph.D.s, 1977 to 1991 (indexed to 1977)

Demographic Characteristics

1977

1981

1985

1989

1991

Total Population

100.0

116.9

134.0

147.8

154.3

Gender

Men

100.0

112.0

123.8

132.5

135.4

Women

100.0

133.0

166.7

197.6

215.7

Racial/Ethnic Group

White

100.0

121.1

137.8

152.0

159.2

Minority Group

100.0

148.7

189.2

216.4

212.4

Hispanic

100.0

157.7

186.3

224.4

233.1

Black

100.0

144.0

196.4

209.4

186.3

Asian

100.0

139.7

183.2

202.3

197.0

American Indian

100.0

130.9

219.8

290.1

279.0

Age in Survey Year

Under 40

100.0

96.9

78.6

61.6

56.9

40-49

100.0

136.2

179.4

197.2

190.3

50-59

100.0

126.5

157.4

197.2

230.4

60-69

100.0

129.5

160.1

206.9

229.9

70-75

100.0

100.9

147.8

194.2

227.0

Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×

TABLE D-3 Employment Status of Humanities Ph.D.s, 1977 to 1991 (indexed to 1977)

Employment Status

1977

1981

1985

1989

1991

Total Population

100.0

116.9

134.0

147.8

154.3

Employed Full-Time

100.0

118.8

134.9

143.8

147.4

Employed Part-Time

100.0

143.3

193.9

237.2

254.1

Postdoctoral Appointment

100.0

94.1

49.6

95.4

69.3

Not Employed

100.0

88.9

110.6

147.8

173.8

Seeking Employment

100.0

54.6

69.6

49.0

62.2

Not Seeking Employment

100.0

120.9

131.4

137.1

127.8

Retired

100.0

100.3

126.8

207.8

253.6

Other

100.0

55.8

106.4

93.6

81.5

No Report

100.0

221.4

0.0

7.3

55.6

NOTE: The number of humanities doctorates in the categories Postdoctoral Appointment, Not Employed, and No Report is small. Therefore, small changes in absolute numbers may result in large fluctuations in the relative index.

Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×

TABLE D-4 Type of Employer of Humanities Ph.D.s, 1977 to 1991 (indexed to 1977)

Type of Employer

1977

1981

1985

1989

1991

Employed Population

100.0

119.8

137.2

148.4

152.4

Educational Institution

100.0

114.1

126.1

134.3

134.9

4-Year Coll/Univ/Med School

100.0

113.3

124.1

132.4

131.3

2-Year College

100.0

116.0

139.3

139.1

156.3

Elem/Secondary Schools

100.0

138.3

167.1

188.9

216.3

Business/Industry

100.0

236.6

358.7

438.2

493.4

U.S. Government

100.0

148.6

184.5

224.9

191.6

State/Local Government

100.0

242.3

303.6

213.1

275.5

Nonprofit Organization

100.0

117.5

167.5

196.6

218.6

Other

100.0

122.6

345.2

371.0

358.1

No Report

100.0

104.8

28.6

31.2

150.4

Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×

TABLE D-5 Primary Work Activity of Humanities Ph.D.s, 1977 to 1991 (indexed to 1977)

Primary Work Activity

1977

1981

1985

1989

1991

Employed Population

100.0

119.8

137.2

148.4

152.4

Teaching

100.0

120.7

126.6

136.3

137.9

Management/Administration

100.0

149.5

198.9

243.4

242.4

Research and Development

100.0

101.6

121.5

148.9

123.0

Writing/Editing

100.0

103.8

159.8

142.7

146.5

Consulting/Prof Services

100.0

162.2

231.6

265.6

286.2

Other Activities

100.0

113.8

141.3

177.0

200.5

No Report

100.0

68.6

117.3

40.9

101.5

Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
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Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 67
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 68
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 69
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 70
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 71
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 72
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 73
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX D: TIME-SERIES TABLES." National Research Council. 1994. Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1991 Profile. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9118.
×
Page 74
Next: APPENDIX E: ESTIMATED NUMBER OF HUMANITIES PH.D.S, BY FINE FIELD OF EMPLOYMENT, 1991 »
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