report | Nov 7, 2012
The Pew Research Center recently released an instant reaction poll gauging public views about the outcome of the presidential election, conducted online with Google. Director of Survey Research Scott Keeter describes the project.
report | Nov 7, 2012
As internet use grows– whether through a traditional computer, tablet, gaming device or cell phone – new techniques are being developed to conduct social research and measure people’s behavior and opinion while they are online. The Pew Research Center has been exploring these new techniques for measuring public opinion and critically evaluating how they compare […]
report | Oct 3, 2012
In our surveys this summer, we added a question about mobile internet connectivity to help us capture internet users who may access the internet on mobile devices.
report | Sep 20, 2012
Every decade, new information from the decennial census is used to update a wide range of government demographic estimates and survey benchmarks. In some cases, that results in revisions to previously published data, which researchers need to note.
report | Sep 20, 2012
The Census Bureau released 2011 American Community Survey data today, and this posting looks at news coverage about the newly released estimates. Most coverage focused on economic indicators, with some stories saying the economy was still declining but others concluding the decline may have bottomed out.
report | Sep 17, 2012
Pollsters sometimes match a “generic” Republican or Democratic candidate against an incumbent, or use a generic ballot to forecast which party is ahead in congressional elections. How to read these polls.
report | Aug 9, 2012
This posting includes links to newly released Census Bureau research on how Americans should be asked about their race and ethnicity. It links to a previous posting that explains the background behind this ground-breaking research.
report | Aug 7, 2012
The race and Hispanic origin categories on the 2010 Census form (and many other government forms) do not always match people's self-identification, and this is especially true for Hispanics. The Census Bureau will present results of research on alternative questionnaire designs and wording that attempts to address the issue.
report | Aug 3, 2012
Update: In the years since this piece was published, the survey field has changed. The link between Americans’ willingness to take surveys and their political views became stronger. Researchers developed new methods for addressing this. Pew Research Center’s surveys of U.S. adults now weight on political party affiliation, but the way that is done differs […]
report | Jul 20, 2012
While many see promise in the future of data analysis, some fear that work with gigantic stores of information could lead to privacy abuses and mistaken forecasts