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Sources and methods notes

This page describes each source the plan cites, what the plan uses it for, and its main limit. Most are analyses and registers prepared by the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) for the plan in October 2026; the rest are federal award records and published program documents. Each section links to the exported data. Where an earlier institution filter affected a source, the plan uses its figures only as historical context; current publication counts come from the corrected publication record and current funding figures from the funding record by agency and accounting basis. Notes on individual figures are on the figure sources page.

Peer-position calculation method

The calculation ARA used in October 2026 to compare Arkansas with other EPSCoR jurisdictions on publication counts, specialization, growth and citation share, using OpenAlex records. Its documented filters, time windows, formulas and minimum counts are reproduced in the exported results. Appendix B uses it to explain how the historical peer growth measure differs from the momentum measure. These historical counts used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan uses them only as historical context.

Data and sources: Historical peer-position results (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

TEConomy growth opportunity areas

ARA's reference summary of the assessment TEConomy Partners prepared for ARA, recorded in the plan's definitions as August 2024. The study combined university research evidence with industry employment, patents, investment, stakeholder interviews and an advisory committee, and named seven growth opportunity areas and a set of cross-cutting competencies. The seven areas are the plan's starting framework, and the study's methods are described in the opening chapters and Appendix B. The research fields the plan uses to measure each area are ARA's own mapping and do not redefine TEConomy's areas.

Data and sources: Area definitions (JSON) · TEConomy report published by ARA (PDF)

Primary-metals employment note

A public-data note on private employment in primary metals manufacturing (NAICS 331) in Arkansas, taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual average. The current text does not cite this note directly; it holds the employment measure for primary metals. The count covers private wage-and-salary jobs, so it excludes self-employment and does not count unique people.

Data and sources: Measure note: primary metals jobs · BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages

NSF EPSCoR award records for Arkansas

An extract from the NSF Award API, retrieved 11 October 2026, of Arkansas's NSF EPSCoR awards (Track-1, E-CORE, E-RISE, fellowship and other awards), with lead organization, start and end dates, estimated total and status. Investigator names are left out. The plan uses it for the end dates of DART and its successors AR-NETWORK and AR-STRIDES, and for the continuity calendar. Each record shows the scheduled dates and estimated total at retrieval; it does not show later extensions, annual spending or which services continue.

Data and sources: Arkansas NSF award status (CSV) · NSF Award API

Historical share of US research output

ARA's calculation, frozen 11 October 2026, of each EPSCoR jurisdiction's share of US articles and reviews in 2016-2020 and 2021-2025, from OpenAlex. The current text does not cite it; the plan reports no national share of output. These historical counts used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan uses them only as historical context.

Data and sources: Historical share of US output (CSV) · Yearly articles and reviews, 2010-2025 (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

Historical research growth by jurisdiction

ARA's calculation, frozen 11 October 2026, comparing publication counts in 2021-2025 with 2016-2020 for each jurisdiction and research area, alongside US growth, from OpenAlex. The current text does not cite it; the plan reports no historical growth ratios. These historical counts used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan uses them only as historical context.

Data and sources: Historical five-year growth by area (CSV) · Historical five-year growth by field (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

NSF published funding shares by jurisdiction

NSF's published EPSCoR eligibility measure, each jurisdiction's share of NSF research funding over FY2021-2025, as reported in NSF's FY2026 and FY2027 budget requests and compiled by ARA. The plan uses it for Arkansas's share of about 0.35% of NSF research funding. NSF's measure leaves out EPSCoR's own awards and is not adjusted for field mix, so it differs from single-year obligation totals.

Data and sources: NSF published funding shares (CSV) · NSF FY2027 budget request (PDF) · NSF FY2026 budget request, EPSCoR chapter (PDF)

2025 publication baseline settings

The record of how ARA set the 2025 publication baselines on 11 October 2026: the OpenAlex query, a frozen set of up to 100 institution identifiers for each of 25 states, and country-code filters for Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands. Appendix B uses it for the publication data sources and baseline dates. The Arkansas institution set included some organizations outside Arkansas; the plan's current 2021-2025 counts come from the corrected publication record.

Data and sources: Institution filters (CSV) · Institution filter metadata (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

NIH IDeA awards in Arkansas

An extract from NIH RePORTER, October 2026, of Arkansas's Institutional Development Award (IDeA) projects: COBRE centers, INBRE, the national proteomics resource and the ECHO pediatric trials site, with start and end dates and the latest fiscal-year cost. Investigator columns are left out. The plan uses it for the three NIH centers whose awards end in 2027-2028 and for their FY2026 funding. The latest fiscal-year cost is one year's award, not the total value of the project.

Data and sources: Arkansas NIH IDeA awards (CSV) · NIH RePORTER

Historical peer position by research area

ARA's October 2026 table comparing Arkansas with other EPSCoR jurisdictions in each research area and topic bundle: publication counts for 2015-2019 and 2020-2025, specialization, growth and top-cited share. The plan uses it as background on where Arkansas research is concentrated and on small topic bundles such as critical minerals and lithium. These historical counts used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan uses them only as historical context.

Data and sources: Historical peer-position results (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

Selection screen sensitivity tests

ARA's working analysis, October 2026, that rescored each of the 28 candidates after changing one test or threshold at a time. Chapter "How we chose" and Appendix A use it to show which applications stay eligible when a rule changes. The results describe how candidates respond to rule changes and are not probabilities; their publication inputs came from the earlier institution filter.

Data and sources: Score sensitivity by candidate (CSV)

Selection screen scoring sheet

ARA's scoring sheet, October 2026, recording how each of the 28 candidates fared on the screen's tests (research output, federal anchors, economic alignment and distinctiveness among peer plans), with the strength of the evidence for each result. The application chapters and Appendix A use it for each application's screen result. Its publication inputs came from the earlier institution filter, which is why an independent scorer rescores every candidate in July 2027.

Data and sources: Candidate scores (CSV)

Plan action register

The plan's register of proposed actions, prepared by ARA and dated 25 October 2026. Each action has a hypothesis, an owner, the evidence that shows it is complete, and a decision date. The plan cites it for its actions and dates, including the NSF proposal diagnosis, continuity decisions for expiring awards, facility access, team continuity and the materials workstream. Each entry is a proposed action; an owner's role is final once that owner accepts it.

Data and sources: Action register (JSON) · Register amendment record (JSON)

Growth area and application definitions

ARA's definitions register, version of 25 October 2026. It lists TEConomy's seven area names, the plan's six delivery applications, the cross-cutting capabilities, and the research fields used to count publications for each. The plan uses it wherever it counts publications or researchers by area or application. The research-field mappings are ARA's own and have not been independently validated; they do not redefine TEConomy's areas.

Data and sources: Area definitions (JSON)

Enabling capabilities map

ARA's map, version of 25 October 2026, of how AI and machine learning, data analytics and cybersecurity apply in each of the seven growth areas, drawn from TEConomy's cross-cutting competencies. The plan uses it for the statement that these capabilities support all seven areas and for the checks each proposed use passes before launch. Showing that a capability applies to an area does not show a validated project or customer.

Data and sources: Capability map (JSON)

Partner demand register

ARA's register, dated 25 October 2026, that pairs TEConomy's evidence for each growth area with the specific partner problem, data or facility access and decision point each application needs. The plan uses it for what each application needs from employers, producers and health partners before work starts. The register lists the evidence each application needs; it records no partner endorsements or completed interviews.

Data and sources: Demand register (JSON)

Collaboration resilience analysis

ARA's analysis of co-authorship links between Arkansas research groups, pooled over 2021-2025, measuring how many links depend on a single pair of researchers. The plan uses it to support the team rule on institutions, researchers and second contacts. The figures are anonymous link counts for one period; a shared author list does not show that a team delivers together.

Data and sources: Network resilience (JSON)

Plan evidence summary by area

ARA's compiled evidence for each area and application, analysis version of 25 October 2026 built from inputs frozen 11 October 2026: publications, collaboration, aggregate researcher counts and federal funding. The application chapters cite it for area-level evidence, partner needs and funding panels. Its publication and collaboration figures used the earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; current publication counts come from the corrected publication record and funding figures from the agency-by-agency funding record.

Data and sources: Plan evidence aggregates (JSON) · Area counting inputs (CSV) · Area definitions (JSON)

Selection rule specification

ARA's specification of the selection rule, with evidence as of 12 October 2026: the baseline thresholds, the final rule of at least two passes on strong or moderate evidence, the tested parameter grid, and the conditions a project meets before it becomes a commitment. Chapter "How we chose" uses it for the rule, the safeguards and the project conditions. The steering committee adopts the selection rule in March 2027.

Data and sources: Selection rule (JSON)

Opportunity-to-candidate crosswalk

ARA's table, October 2026, tracing each of the 35 opportunities in the research strengths dossier to the candidate it was scored as, grouped into, or kept beside without a separate score. Chapter "How we chose" and Appendix A use it to account for every opportunity. A topic grouped into a broader application is not counted as a separate application.

Data and sources: Opportunity crosswalk (CSV)

Selection scenario grid

ARA's full grid, October 2026, of 4,704 candidate-and-scenario results under alternative thresholds, required passes and tests. Appendix A uses it for how often each candidate qualifies across the grid. The counts show how often a candidate qualifies across the tested rules and are not probabilities.

Data and sources: Selection scenarios (CSV)

Growth area coverage check

ARA's check, October 2026, of each of the seven growth areas: which applications and candidates sit within it, how they scored, and what each area's measurement covers. Chapter "How we chose" and Appendix A use it to show that all seven areas stay in the plan. Area names are TEConomy's; the measurement scope for each area is ARA's own mapping.

Data and sources: Growth area coverage check (JSON)

Arkansas EPSCoR fact inventory

ARA's dated inventory of facts about Arkansas and EPSCoR, October 2026: the 1980 founding states, the committee and approval of the 2024 plan, state appropriations, NSF budget request figures and the terms of NSF's transition supplement for final-year awards. The plan uses it for EPSCoR history, the 2024 committee, the state budget lines and the bridge calendar. The signed 2024 plan carries no date; its July 2029 end comes from the document metadata and the five-year term.

Data and sources: Arkansas NSF award status (CSV) · Arkansas Science and Technology Plan, 2024 (PDF)

EPSCoR eligibility rules

ARA's summary, October 2026, of how NSF determines EPSCoR eligibility and what the current E-CORE solicitation requires of a state plan. The plan uses it for the eligibility measure behind Arkansas's 0.35% funding share. NSF publishes the eligibility list for each competition, so future eligibility depends on that list.

Data and sources: NSF published funding shares (CSV) · NSF E-CORE solicitation, NSF 25-523

Federal place-based awards in Arkansas

ARA's inventory, as of 11 October 2026, of federal place-based awards involving Arkansas: an NSF Regional Innovation Engines development award, NSF EPIIC awards and the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership center, with amounts, dates and source links. The plan uses it for the EPIIC awards at two-year colleges and universities. Amounts for multistate awards cover every state in the region and cannot be added across states.

Data and sources: Arkansas place-based awards (CSV)

Plan quality and award outcomes test

ARA's exploratory comparison, October 2026, of state plan quality scores with NSF E-RISE and E-CORE award results in 2024-2026 across 28 EPSCoR jurisdictions. Appendix B reports its result: no detectable link between plan quality and winning awards. With 28 jurisdictions and plans that were not randomly assigned, the test cannot show cause and could miss a modest effect.

Data and sources: Outcome analysis inputs (CSV) · Outcome test results (JSON)

Historical peer position findings

ARA's October 2026 write-up of the peer-position comparison, with its classes (for example, the "no base" class for areas under 30 works), stricter and more lenient variants, and results by area for 2020-2025 against 2015-2019. Appendix B and the food chapter cite it for how areas were classed and how many change class under alternative rules. These historical counts used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan uses them only as historical context.

Data and sources: Historical peer-position results (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

Selection screen method

ARA's October 2026 write-up of the selection screen: its tests, thresholds, evidence-strength rule, results and sensitivity checks. Chapter "How we chose" cites it for how the screen works and what a tier grade means. A tier grade describes only how a candidate scored on the screen, and the publication inputs came from the earlier institution filter.

Data and sources: Candidate scores (CSV) · Selection scenarios (CSV)

Peer plan theme coding

ARA's coding, October 2026, of the headline themes and priority-setting methods in 27 peer EPSCoR state plans and Arkansas's 2024 plan, with a page or section locator for each coded cell. Appendix B and the selection screen's distinctiveness test use it. The plans were coded with AI assistance and the codes have not been independently verified; Iowa was coded from a June 2023 bioscience strategy because its EPSCoR plan was not obtained.

Data and sources: Peer plan theme codes (CSV) · Peer plan documents (CSV) · Index of peer plan documents

Arkansas EPSCoR jurisdiction record

ARA's October 2026 record of Arkansas as an EPSCoR jurisdiction: its awards, the 2024 plan's committee roster and approval by the Secretary of Commerce, and two-year college credentials. The plan uses it for the 2024 plan's term and approver, the AR-NETWORK renewal timing and two-year college completions.

Data and sources: Arkansas NSF award status (CSV) · Arkansas Science and Technology Plan, 2024 (PDF)

NSF EPSCoR program rules

ARA's summary, October 2026, of the EPSCoR program, the current E-CORE and E-RISE solicitations, and NSF's Dear Colleague Letter on supplemental funding. The plan uses it for EPSCoR's origins and the 2027 E-CORE and E-RISE deadlines. Program rules can change between competitions, so each application follows the solicitation for its year.

Data and sources: Arkansas NSF award status (CSV) · NSF E-CORE solicitation, NSF 25-523 · NSF Dear Colleague Letter on EPSCoR supplemental funding

Plan decision register

The plan's outline and decision register, prepared by ARA in October 2026. It sets out the plan's structure, the decisions the steering committee and partners take with their dates, and statements from the plan's owner. The plan cites it for decision dates (the vision statement, the bridge calendar, renewal timing), the selection safeguards and the Division of Agriculture researcher count. It records the plan's proposals and their dates; the steering committee adopts them.

Data and sources: Action register (JSON)

Candidate screening record

The October 2026 edition of the plan's appendix listing every candidate and its screen results, prepared by ARA. The plan cites it for how the seven areas relate to the scored applications and for the review rules. The current Appendix A. Candidates and scores replaces it.

Data and sources: Candidate scores (CSV)

Decision calendar record

The October 2026 edition of the plan's calendar of decisions, owners and dates, prepared by ARA. The plan cites it for the date by which the steering committee sets targets. The current Appendix C. Decision calendar replaces it.

Data and sources: Action register (JSON)

Arkansas research strengths dossier

ARA's background synthesis, October 2026, of 35 research opportunities assessed through six lenses: output, momentum, funding, researchers, collaboration and assets. It classes each opportunity and names its main risk, and documents the data sources behind the lenses. The application chapters cite it for each area's strengths and risks, and Appendix B for its data sources and classing rule. Its publication-based lenses used the earlier institution filter, and its classes are ARA's own judgments.

Data and sources: Portfolio classes (CSV)

Historical specialization by subfield

ARA's October 2026 table of Arkansas and US publication counts by research subfield, 2021-2025, with the counts of top-cited works used for specialization and citation ratios. The prologue cites it as background on the fields where Arkansas research is concentrated. These historical counts used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan uses them only as historical context.

Data and sources: Subfield counting inputs (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

Historical specialization method

ARA's October 2026 description of how research specialization and citation quality were calculated by subfield. The current text does not cite it directly; it documents the method behind the specialization table. These historical ratios used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas, and the subfields are research fields, not TEConomy's industry definitions.

Data and sources: Subfield counting inputs (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

Historical research momentum by subfield

ARA's October 2026 table of Arkansas and US publication growth by area and subfield across 2010-2015, 2016-2020 and 2021-2025. The capabilities chapter cites it as background on where computing and health research are growing. These historical counts used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan uses them only as historical context.

Data and sources: Historical momentum (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

Historical momentum method

ARA's October 2026 description of the momentum measure, which divides Arkansas's growth in an area by US growth in that area and compares it with the state's growth across all fields. Appendix B uses it to define the momentum measure. These historical growth ratios used an earlier institution filter that included some records from outside Arkansas; the plan reports none of them as current.

Data and sources: Historical momentum (CSV) · OpenAlex works API

Historical federal funding by area

ARA's October 2026 table of federal research awards by area and agency for FY2016-2020 and FY2021-2025, drawn from NSF, NIH and USAspending records. The plan uses it for the mix of federal sponsors behind each application. Agencies report dollars on different bases, so the agency columns are not added together; the current figures are in the funding record by agency and accounting basis.

Data and sources: Historical funding components (CSV)

Collaboration network analysis

ARA's October 2026 analysis of co-authorship among Arkansas researchers and institutions in 2021-2025, including cross-institution shares and multi-campus research communities. The plan cites it for collaboration across campuses, the materials and biomedical community, and the Walmart co-authorship check. It covers one period, so it cannot show a trend, and some institution mapping is known to be wrong (for example, OpenAlex files Arkansas Colleges of Health Education works under UA Fort Smith).

Data and sources: Network aggregates (CSV) · Research communities (CSV) · Connected research groups (CSV) · Research community notes

Research assets inventory

ARA's inventory, as of 11 October 2026, of Arkansas research facilities, centers and their awards, with start and end dates and amounts. The plan uses it for MUSiC, MonArk, the poultry and aquaculture centers and other named assets. A listing shows that an asset exists and is funded; it does not show current outside access or a host's commitment.

Data and sources: Research assets (CSV)

Research assets findings

ARA's October 2026 write-up of the assets inventory, including access terms for shared facilities such as the state's high-performance computing center. The capabilities chapter cites it for access to high-performance computing and for the facility access measures. The inventory does not test whether outside researchers or companies can actually use each facility.

Data and sources: Research assets (CSV)

Research portfolio classes

ARA's October 2026 table classing each of the 35 research opportunities (for example, established or emerging) with its confidence, supporting lenses and main risk. The freight, supply chain and power chapters cite it for each area's class and risk. The classes are ARA's analytic judgments and are not the plan's adopted selection.

Data and sources: Portfolio classes (CSV)

Corrected publication record

ARA's audit, 28 October 2026, of the 2021-2025 Arkansas article and review records. It retains 24,743 of 24,869 source records and removes or sets aside 126 with false or unresolved Arkansas affiliations, after checking 100 institution identifiers. A separate check covers Walmart-affiliated papers. The plan's current Arkansas publication counts, and the Walmart co-authorship figure, come from this record. Distinct Arkansas author counts and Division of Agriculture paper counts, recomputed on 31 October 2026 from the same audited work records, are on the publication and author counts page. It counts work linked to Arkansas institutions, and the plan reports no national specialization or citation ratios because national comparison sets have not had the same cleanup.

Data and sources: Publication and author counts · Publication geography methods · Area counts, 2021-2025 (CSV) · Subfield counts (CSV) · Summary (JSON) · Institution identity audit (CSV) · Measure dispositions (CSV) · Walmart affiliation check · Walmart affiliation check data (JSON)

Federal funding by agency and accounting basis

ARA's funding record, reviewed 28 October 2026 from award sources retrieved 11 October 2026. It reports federal awards in separate panels by source, agency and accounting basis: NSF estimated multi-year totals, NIH RePORTER fiscal-year award amounts, and cumulative obligations from USAspending. The plan's agency funding figures come from this record. Agencies report on different bases, so the panels are never added together, and records without a reported amount are kept as unavailable, not zero.

Data and sources: Funding methods · Funding panels by source, agency and basis (CSV) · Funding source records (CSV) · Funding definitions (JSON) · Agency label corrections (CSV) · Duplicate check (CSV)

Complete data inventory

Every data file behind the plan's evidence, exported by ARA in October 2026 as aggregate tables. No researcher names, profiles or contact details are included. The plan cites it for its general statements on how publication and funding evidence is reported.

Data files: