This report contains discussions about critical problems that appear to be developing in American scientific research sectors. The views were obtained from letters of inquiry sent to more than 900 persons active in the administration or performance of research in its four main sectors: universities, industry, Federal laboratories, and independent research institutes. Four areas of common concern were found to predominate in the replies, and a chapter is devoted to each: dependability of funding for research; the maintaining of vitality in the research system; freedom in research; and current attitudes toward science and technology. Appendices include: a description of the method of inquiry; texts of the letters sent to the research community; a complete list of respondents to the inquiry letter by sector; a complete list of issues taken from the response letters; and rank-order tables of issues mentioned most frequently. (MH)