The literature on affirmative action and preferential admissions in higher education from 1970 to the present is reviewed in this annotated bibliography. The three parts focus on: (1) The Law and the Courts; (2) The Academic Community Response; and (3) The Philosophical Debate. Each section is preceded by an extensive introduction that analyzes competing arguments on affirmative action and preferential admissions in higher education. The section on the law and the courts is divided into major legislation, executive orders, and federal regulations pertaining to affirmative action, race, and sex discrimination in institutions of higher education; U.S. government publications; court cases; and notes on the sources. Entries in the section on the academic community response debate whether affirmative action is necessary, legitimate, and meets meritorian standards of higher education. The philosophical debate section revolves around conflicting interpretations of the meaning and nature of justice and equality. A total of 1,181 numbered entries list and describe government collections. Material is also incluced from ERIC (the Educational Resources Information Center). Separate name and title indexes are provided. (LC)