A study was undertaken of federal and state secondary and higher education policy research design that used a new approach. It systematically used the parties interested in policy development to identify the specific policies within their domain that are in current contention and also identify the arguments and claims on all sides of the policy in question. The report begins with a discussion of the research, and focuses on pluralistic research, which intends to inform all interested parties as well as the policy-makers. The second section describes the results of a three-phase investigation into policy-making. The first phase involved an extensive review of Congressional hearing begun in 1978. The second phase included interviews with Illinois legislators, legislative assistants, and other state officials in state-level policy formation. The third phase consisted of interviews in Washington, D.C. with national organization representatives, Congressional staff, and other federal officials. From these sources were drawn the structure of interests surrounding policies, the content of issues being contested, and information of interest to parties to the policy process. Three segments of education policy are examined separately: secondary education, postsecondary noneducational activities, and higher education. Research problems and instrument design are discussed. A discussion follows of the pluralistic use of policy research, and data from a survey of the 1972 high school senior cohort ("High School and Beyond") are used to examine three policy questions of current interest: minimum competency testing, vocational education, and student loans. A list of references is given, and survey questionnaires and booklets and supporting forms are appended. (MSE)