Can we still trust polls?
Donald Trump's victory in 2016 and the U.K. "Brexit" decision rattled public confidence in polls. Our new video explains why well-designed polls can be trusted.
The American Trends Panel Survey Methodology
The American Trends Panel (ATP), created by the Pew Research Center, is a nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults recruited from landline and cell phone random digit dial surveys. Panelists participate via monthly self-administered Web surveys. Panelists who do not have internet access are provided with a tablet and wireless internet connection. The […]
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. secondary schools have sworn officers on site – but not all the time
The share of U.S. public secondary schools with sworn officers on site has increased in the past decade.
Methods 101: Survey Question Wording
The second video in Pew Research Center's Methods 101 series helps explain question wording – a concept at the center of sound public opinion survey research – and why it’s important.
How do you write survey questions that accurately measure public opinion?
In the second video from our Methods 101 series, we’re tackling why question wording is so important in public opinion surveys.
Video Explainer: Understanding survey question wording
The second video in Pew Research Center’s “Methods 101” series helps explain question wording – a concept at the center of sound public opinion survey research – and why it’s important.
Commercial Voter Files and the Study of U.S. Politics
A new analysis demystifies voter files, the widely-used and comprehensive digital databases used to better understand the U.S. electorate.
Q&A: The growing use of ‘voter files’ in studying the U.S. electorate
Read a Q&A with Pew Research Center’s Ruth Igielnik and Scott Keeter about a recent study about voter files.
Majorities Express Favorable Opinions of Several Federal Agencies, Including the FBI
Survey Report The public continues to express favorable opinions of a number of federal agencies and departments. And while positive opinions of the FBI among Republicans have slipped since early last year, two-thirds of Americans – including a majority of Republicans – view the bureau favorably. The public rates the 10 agencies and departments included […]
Use of election forecasts in campaign coverage can confuse voters and may lower turnout
Probability forecasts have gained prominence in recent years. But these forecasts may confuse potential voters and may even lower the likelihood that they vote.
