Experiments were performed in a sliding plate rheometer and in capillaries and slits with several polymer melts, particularly polyethylenes, to determine the conditions for the onset of slip and melt fracture. In the sliding plate rheometer various shear tests were used to determine the relationship between the slip velocity and wall shear stress, and based on the experimental observations both steady state and dynamic slip models are proposed that are consistent with experimental observations. In the capillary flow studies the dependence of the slip velocity on wall shear stress, pressure, temperature and molecular parameters of molten polyethylenes was studied and the results were used to formulate a general slip velocity model. Because the slip velocity depends on pressure and thus varies with position in capillary flow, the Mooney procedure in determining the slip velocity is not appropriate. A modified Mooney technique is proposed to analyse the capillary data in cases where the slip velocity is a function of both wall shear stress and pressure. Using the slip velocity model, the steady state and unsteady state equation of motion was solved in capillary flow, and the calculated results were found to agree with the experimental results to a satisfactory degree. The oscillating flow regime was studied in detail, and the slip flow model was found to predict several features of this flow regime very well. Finally, the effect of interface conditions (surface coatings and metal of construction of slits) on both wall slip and melt fracture was studied.