ABSTRACT A high-performance, size-exclusion chromatography procedure has been developed for determining molecular weights and molecular weight distributions of polyacrylamides. The procedure can be applied to dry or emulsion polyacrylamides. Virgin polymers and polymers passed through Berea sandstone cores can be analyzed. The analytical technique utilizes a chromatographic column packed with a hydrophilic polymer resin to fractionate the polymer sample. Detection is accomplished with a refractive index or ultraviolet detector. In addition, the chromatographic system can be coupled to a low-angle, laser, light-scattering (LALLS) photometer for absolute molecular weight characterization.