<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 06/30/97
000 C000000 0000314366
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 DEAN WITTER AMERICAN VALUE FUND
001 B000000 811-2978
001 C000000 2123922550
002 A000000 TWO WORLD TRADE CENTER
002 B000000 NEW YORK
002 C000000 NY
002 D010000 10048
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 DEAN WITTER INTERCAPITAL INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-42061
008 D010001 NEW YORK
008 D020001 NY
008 D030001 10048
011 A000001 DEAN WITTER DISTRIBUTORS INC.
011 B000001 8-45262
011 C010001 NEW YORK
011 C020001 NY
011 C030001 10048
012 A000001 DEAN WITTER TRUST COMPANY
012 B000001 84-1785
012 C010001 JERSEY CITY
012 C020001 NJ
012 C030001 07311
013 A000001 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
013 B010001 NEW YORK
013 B020001 NY
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 10036
014 A000001 DEAN WITTER REYNOLDS INC.
014 B000001 8-14172
014 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
014 B000002 8-15869
015 A000001 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 NEW YORK
015 C020001 NY
015 C030001 10286
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 127
019 C000000 DEANWITTER
020 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
020 B000001 13-5108880
020 C000001 432
020 A000002 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000002 13-3082694
020 C000002 396
020 A000003 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
020 B000003 13-5659485
020 C000003 369
020 A000004 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
020 B000004 22-2347336
020 C000004 347
020 A000005 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000005 94-1701676
020 C000005 328
020 A000006 SMITH BARNEY INC.
020 B000006 13-1912900
020 C000006 316
020 A000007 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.
020 B000007 13-2655998
020 C000007 293
020 A000008 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
020 B000008 13-5674085
020 C000008 269
020 A000009 BERNSTEIN (SANFORD C.) & CO. INC.
020 B000009 13-2625874
020 C000009 238
020 A000010 SCHRODER WERTHEIM & CO. INC.
020 B000010 13-2697272
020 C000010 237
021 000000 7256
022 A000001 LANSTON (AUBREY G.) & CO. INC.
022 B000001 13-5552129
022 C000001 3061183
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000002 13-5659485
022 C000002 2704545
022 D000002 77372
022 A000003 FIRST CHICAGO CAPITAL MARKETS INC.
022 B000003 36-3595942
022 C000003 2569390
022 D000003 0
022 A000004 BANKAMERICA SECURITIES INC.
022 B000004 95-4035346
022 C000004 2394296
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 NATIONSBANC CAPITAL MARKETS INC.
022 B000005 56-1684171
022 C000005 2350556
022 D000005 29075
022 A000006 SANWA SECURITIES (USA) CO. L.P.
022 B000006 13-3046258
022 C000006 2227675
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000007 13-5108880
022 C000007 1797727
022 D000007 147672
022 A000008 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000008 13-2518466
022 C000008 1375267
022 D000008 112983
022 A000009 GOLDMAN SACHS MONEY MARKETS
022 B000009 N/A
022 C000009 1409342
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER
022 B000010 N/A
022 C000010 1394793
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 27870310
023 D000000 1325957
024 000000 Y
025 A000001 LEHMAN BROTHERS HLDGS. INC.
025 B000001 13-2518466
025 C000001 E
025 D000001 49410
025 A000002 DELETE
025 D000002 0
025 A000003 DELETE
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 86045
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 72726
028 B010000 88709
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 74418
028 C010000 61774
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 56262
028 D010000 70088
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 75215
028 E010000 52747
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 61231
028 F010000 57419
028 F020000 119710
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 79791
028 G010000 416782
028 G020000 119710
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 419643
028 H000000 416782
029 000000 N
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 2625
036 A000000 Y
036 B000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 100
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 14334
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 250000
048 A020000 0.625
048 B010000 2500000
048 B020000 0.500
048 C010000 3500000
048 C020000 0.475
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 3500000
048 K020000 0.450
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 6
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 Y
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 Y
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 1000
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 N
066 D000000 Y
066 E000000 N
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 Y
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 4108494
071 B000000 4154930
071 C000000 3048678
071 D000000 135
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 6494
072 C000000 13718
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 8230
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 1668
072 J000000 113
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 103
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 M000000 9
072 N000000 79
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 18
072 S000000 5
072 T000000 14334
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 16
072 X000000 24575
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 -4363
072AA000000 247690
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 157681
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 0
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 125860
073 A010000 0.0000
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 1.0952
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 11671
074 C000000 114000
074 D000000 0
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 3324784
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 79430
074 K000000 9278
074 L000000 4919
074 M000000 177
074 N000000 3544259
074 O000000 40376
074 P000000 4230
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 8806
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 3490847
074 U010000 118750
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 29.40
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 283507
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 3296771
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 N
077 C000000 Y
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 Y
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 N
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 C000000 0
081 B000000 0
082 B000000 0
083 B000000 0
084 B000000 0
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE BARRY FINK
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Dean Witter American Value Fund
Semi-Annual NSAR 6/30/97
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000314366
<NAME> DW AMERICAN VALUE FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 3,023,133,064
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 3,450,455,272
<RECEIVABLES> 93,626,739
<ASSETS-OTHER> 177,111
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,544,259,122
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 40,375,927
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 13,036,040
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 53,411,967
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 2,829,267,729
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 118,749,703
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 114,750,518
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (4,406,482)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 238,663,700
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 427,322,208
<NET-ASSETS> 3,490,847,155
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 13,718,471
<INTEREST-INCOME> 6,494,103
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (24,575,799)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (4,363,225)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 247,689,667
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 157,681,444
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 401,007,886
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (125,860,009)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 14,617,133
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (14,721,816)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 4,103,868
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 391,996,672
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (43,257)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 116,834,042
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 8,230,124
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (24,575,799)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 3,296,770,985
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 27.01
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.04)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 3.53
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (1.10)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 29.40
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.50
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
