GIST is an Action Research project aiming to improve girls' participation in scientific and technological studies at school when these become optional. The initial survey was conducted with 2065 first year children in ten co-educational comprehensive schools in Greater Manchester. Eight of these were action schools where interventions designed to change girls' attitudes and achievements were implemented; the other two were control schools. The initial survey was intended to assess children's attitudes to science and technical crafts, their backgrond knowledge in these subjects and their attitudes towards sex roles. The initial 11 year old cohort was followed up with a second survey in 1983, a survey of school records in 1985 and a postal questionnaire in 1987, when the cohort was 17 years of age.