A study examined vocational education research and development (R&D) during the period from 1963 to 1983. Individually funded and government-funded R&D efforts in the following 15 categories were compared: career development and guidance, special populations, students, personnel, instructional techniques, curriculum development, demography, equity, labor market supply and demand information, administration, evaluation of vocational education programs, job site, employment and training, articulation, and dissemination and demonstration. Relative frequencies of R&D efforts in each of these categories, referred to as "level of effort" (LOE), were calculated for each year. Graphic comparison of the LOEs of each of the 15 categories revealed that in 14 of the 15 categories, over 50 percent of the data entries fall at or below the 11 percent mark. In seven of the categories, over 50 percent of the data entries showed zero R&D activity. Indirect evidence from the study supported the contention that Federal regulatory processes contribute to the short life of R&D trends. This conclusion seemed to be particularly supported by the data concerning the years 1971 through 1974. (Graphs comparing the government and individual LOEs in each of the 15 categories are appended.) (MN)