Technological advances in microcomputer hardware and software, including size of memory and increasingly more sophisticated statistical application packages, create a new era in educational research. The alternative to costly main-frame computer data processing and statistical analysis is explored in this paper. In the first section, typical problems of using main-frame computers for survey research are outlined. The second section presents search criteria, including technical tests for accuracy, for selecting a microcomputer statistical package to meet the particular needs of the researcher. Reviews and references for over 30 statistical packages are summarized. The third section presents the selection of and use of CRISP as the solution to the search for a package to handle the data from a 10-year survey research study. In the final section, the impact of changing technology on survey research design and methodology is summarized. (Author/PN)