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
Sign up for our Methods newsletter
The latest on survey methods, data science and more, delivered quarterly.
All
Methodological Research
Publications
-
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.
-
The ‘class size paradox’: How individual- and group-level perspectives differ, and why it matters in research
The average class size at a university conveys little about the experience of the average student there.
-
Assessing the Risks to Online Polls From Bogus Respondents
While the growth of online interviewing is a prominent trend in polling, there is variation within that trend in how researchers recruit respondents. This study finds that sourcing affects data quality.
-
Q&A: How and why we studied online dating in the U.S.
Monica Anderson, associate director of internet and technology research, speaks about our latest report on the world of online dating.
-
U.S. Census Knowledge Quiz
Test your knowledge of the U.S. census with our 12-question quiz.
-
Q&A: How Pew Research Center evaluated Americans’ trust in 30 news sources
Our director of journalism studies explains how we determined what media outlets Americans turn to and trust for their political news.
-
Our favorite Pew Research Center data visualizations of 2019
Our graphics team creates hundreds of charts, maps and other data visualizations every year. Here are some of our favorite graphics of 2019.
-
Trends are a cornerstone of public opinion research. How do we continue to track changes in public opinion when there’s a shift in survey mode?
Mode differences present a challenge to analyzing trends over time. While these differences can vary, there are lessons to be learned.
-
Q&A: Why we studied American sermons and how we did it
Dennis Quinn, computational social scientist, explains how our analysis of sermons came together and the challenges that arise when religion meets big data.
-
The Digital Pulpit: A Nationwide Analysis of Online Sermons
This Pew Research Center analysis harnesses computational techniques to identify, collect and analyze the sermons that U.S. churches livestream or share on their websites each week.
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.
