Public Opinion Polling Basics
By the end of our free, five-lesson course, you will know why we have polls, what the different kinds of polls are, how polling works and what you should look for in a poll.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Methodological Research
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Methodological Research
Publications
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The challenges of using real-time epidemiological data in a public health crisis
Three widely cited coronavirus trackers differ in their methods and in the kinds of information they provide.
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The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on Pew Research Center’s global polling
Our response to the pandemic has included the difficult decision to suspend much of our international survey work until further notice.
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Nigerians living near a major Belt and Road project grew more positive toward China after it was completed
Our analysis assesses the relationship between Nigerians’ distance to a major Chinese investment in their country and their views toward China.
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Tweets by members of Congress tell the story of an escalating COVID-19 crisis
More than half of all tweets sent by members of the U.S. Congress between March 11 and 21 were related to the coronavirus outbreak.
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Growing Share of Adults Have Heard Something About the 2020 Census Recently
Overall readiness to respond to the census has inched up since earlier this year, even as some key hard-to-count groups remain less enthusiastic than others.
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Weighting survey data with the pewmethods R package
This post walks through the process of weighting and analyzing a survey dataset.
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Exploring survey data with the pewmethods R package
This post provides tips on recoding and collapsing survey data and displaying weighted estimates of categorical variables.
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Introducing pewmethods: An R package for working with survey data
Our new R package contains various functions that we use in our day-to-day survey work.
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What to know about the 2020 census
The 2020 census began in Alaska in January, and the first numbers will be published by the end of the year.
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American News Pathways Methodology
Data in the American News Pathways project is drawn from The American Trends Panel, a nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. Read for more information about this survey’s methodology.
Signature Reports
A Field Guide to Polling: Election 2020 Edition
While survey research in the United States is a year-round undertaking, the public’s focus on polling is never more intense than during the run-up to a presidential election.
Comparing Two Types of Online Survey Samples
Pew Research Center conducted a study to compare the accuracy of six online surveys of U.S. adults – three from probability-based panels and three from opt-in sources. On average, the absolute error on opt-in samples was about twice that of probability-based panels.
Q&A: What is the American Trends Panel, and how has it changed?
Members of the American Trends Panel can now take our surveys online or over the phone with an interviewer.
How Public Polling Has Changed in the 21st Century
A new study found that 61% of national pollsters used different methods in 2022 than in 2016. And last year, 17% of pollsters used multiple methods to sample or interview people – up from 2% in 2016.
