How a glitch in an online survey replaced the word ‘yes’ with ‘forks’
Dating back to at least early 2023, a bizarre and alarming technical glitch started popping up in some organizations’ online surveys and forms.
A behind-the-scenes blog about research methods at Pew Research Center.
For our latest findings, visit pewresearch.org.
Latest from Decoded
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The ‘class size paradox’: How individual- and group-level perspectives differ, and why it matters in research
The average class size at a university conveys little about the experience of the average student there.
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Trends are a cornerstone of public opinion research. How do we continue to track changes in public opinion when there’s a shift in survey mode?
Mode differences present a challenge to analyzing trends over time. While these differences can vary, there are lessons to be learned.
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Measuring community type in Europe, from big cities to country villages
How an outside measure of community type compares with Europeans’ own descriptions of where they live.
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Using fixed and random effects models for panel data in Python
Identifying causal relationships from observational data is not easy. Still, researchers are often interested in examining the effects of policy changes.
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Evaluating what makes a U.S. community urban, suburban or rural
A look at how objective measures of community type compare with the way Americans describe their own areas.
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When the unexpected happens, what’s a survey researcher to do?
From weather events to snap elections, outside developments can sometimes disrupt surveys while they are in the field.
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5 tips for writing about polls
There are some simple guidelines writers can follow to minimize the risk of readers misunderstanding or misinterpreting survey findings.
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How we check numbers and facts at Pew Research Center
All of the material we release goes through a rigorous verification process we call a “number check.”
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Exploring the link between European political parties’ ideology and their popularity on Twitter
It can be hard to determine whether parties near the ends of the ideology scale are more popular on the platform than moderate parties.
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Interpreting and validating topic models
Understanding the exact meaning of a set of words requires an intimate understanding of how the words are used in your data and the meaning they’re likely intended to convey in context.
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