Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

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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

    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.

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    The Burden of Student Debt

    Among adults who took out loans to help pay for college, nearly half say paying back those loans makes it harder for them to pay their other bills.

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    Purpose of College Education

    Americans are split on the main purpose of college, with 47% saying it is to teach work-related skills and 39% saying it is to help a student grow personally and intellectually.

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    College is Not Affordable

    Three-quarters of the public say most people cannot afford to pay for a college education.