Focusing on seven five-year periods, this paper provides a 35-year perspective on institutional research at Los Angeles City College (LACC) and its historical context. For each period, significant world, national, local, and institutional events are highlighted, and research activities and findings relevant to the period are discussed. Parts I and II, covering the years 1947-1952 and 1952-1957, review the growth of LACC and early institutional research conducted through the Counseling Center. Certain research concerns are common to the next five periods, 1957-62, 1962-67, 1967-72, 1972-77, and 1977-82, allowing a look at trends in enrollment, student characteristics, remedial programs, transfer success, and student follow-up. Other research projects were more characteristic of the period during which they were undertaken. For example, during 1957-62, 19 studies were related to testing and placement; during 1962-67, when the number of LACC inner city students increased dramatically, the Research Office was called upon to evaluate new approaches to preparing high risk students; during 1967-72, much of the research effort was directed toward the problem of campus unrest; during 1972-77, special populations, including veterans, handicapped, and displaced homemakers, received much attention; and during 1977-82, research focused largely on "new populations" in the college. (KL)