Based on photoemission studies of the surface states of crystalline Si and the effect of oxygen, thereon, the interpretation of electron spin resonance signals in terms of surface states on crystalline or amorphous Ge and Si is questioned. We report attempts to detect filled surface states lying in the band gap directly in photoemission studies of amorphous Ge and Si. No clear evidence for such states has been found to date. The effect of atmospheric exposure on amorphous and crystalline samples has also been studied using reflection measurements. Atmospheric exposure is found to produce much stronger changes in the amorphous films than the crystalline films indicating that the oxide layer is much less protective on these particular amorphous films than on the crystalline films.