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.

short readAug 6, 2026

Darline Graham, accompanied by her husband, Larry Nordone, is sworn in as U.S. senator by Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley of Iowa on July 14. Graham was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster following the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The U.S. Senate has had 43 appointed members since 1990, and 27 of them (63%) have run to keep their seat.

short readAug 3, 2026

A kindergarten teacher at Ridgetop Elementary School in Austin, Texas, instructs students in Spanish. (Mikala Compton/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)

short readJul 28, 2026

Visitors view the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 23, 2025. (Tom Brenner for the Washington Post via Getty Images)

short readJul 23, 2026

An AI sign at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai in July 2024. (Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

short readsNov 10, 2009

Veterans Day

While Americans across the country honor the nation’s veterans today, most do not think the government gives enough support to soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
short readsNov 10, 2009

The Remarrying Kind

About one-in-ten ever-married adults in Arkansas and Oklahoma have had three or more spouses.
short readsNov 10, 2009

The Age of Tweets

The median age of a Twitter user is 31.
short readsNov 10, 2009

College Enrollment at All-Time High

Roughly four-in-ten young adults are enrolled in either a two- or four-year college, the highest level of enrollment ever.
short readsNov 10, 2009

Knowledge of Troop Deaths in Afghanistan

Only a quarter of the public can correctly estimate the number of U.S. military fatalities in Afghanistan.
short readsNov 10, 2009

Global Warming: A Hoax … with Serious Ramifications

A third of those who say there is no solid evidence of global warming still consider it a serious problem.
short readsNov 10, 2009

Cap & Trade: Few Know What it is but Half Support the Idea

Though few know what “cap and trade” is, half the public supports limits on carbon dioxide emissions even if it means higher energy prices.
short readsNov 10, 2009

Chilling Numbers

The percentage of Americans who believe there is solid evidence supporting global warming has fallen from 71% in April 2008 to 57% today.
short readsNov 10, 2009

Twitter Update

About one-in-five internet users now say they use Twitter or another similar service, up from 11% in April.
short readsOct 27, 2009

Goblins and Ghosts and Things That Go Bump in the Night

Not counting the trick-or-treaters scaring up fun this weekend, more than two-thirds of Americans agree that angels and demons are active in the world.

Topics

Regions & Countries

Formats

Short Reads

Most U.S. senators appointed since 1990 have run to keep their seat – and most have won

What do Americans think about language learning in U.S. schools?

Most Americans favor big changes to the political system that likely would require amending the Constitution

What Americans think about the global AI race

Veterans Day

The Remarrying Kind

The Age of Tweets

College Enrollment at All-Time High

Knowledge of Troop Deaths in Afghanistan

Global Warming: A Hoax … with Serious Ramifications

Cap & Trade: Few Know What it is but Half Support the Idea

Chilling Numbers

Twitter Update

Goblins and Ghosts and Things That Go Bump in the Night

Short Reads

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