Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Short Reads

Short-form data and analysis from Pew Research Center writers and social scientists. To view all our reports and publications, visit our main Publications page.

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  • short reads

    A Nation of Flag Wavers

    Three in four Americans say they display Old Glory at home, work or elsewhere.

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    Twitter-Adoption Gap

    A 16-point Twitter-adoption gap separates black online adults and white online adults.

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    Tweeters

    Among online adults, 13% use the status update service Twitter.

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    Make Calls Online

    Nearly a quarter of internet-using adults have placed a phone call online.

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    Public Split on Interpreting the Constitution

    Half the public says the Supreme Court should base rulings on what the Constitution means now, while 45% say it should be understood as originally written.

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    Google Drives News

    Google Search and Google News are the biggest single drivers of traffic to top news websites.

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    Twitter Not Making Much News

    Despite its growth as a tool in the world of new media, Twitter does not yet drive a substantial amount of traffic to news websites.

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    Why Are Gas Prices Rising?

    Three-in-ten say greed and a push for higher profits among oil companies are the main reason gasoline prices have gone up recently.

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    Is College Worth It In 2011?

    A majority of Americans (57%) say the higher education system in the United States fails to provide students with good value for the money they and their families spend.