The Write Stuff:
Resources for Journalism & Communications Students
Finding Information : How Many : Public Opinion Data
Indexes & Abstracts
- American Public Opinion Index. Louisville, KY: Opinion Research Service,
1981-ongoing.
Location: HM261 .A463 Reference
American Public Opinion Data. 1981-ongoing.
Location: C-2251 Microforms Center - Index to national, state, and local public opinion polls on all subjects. Includes information about sample size, interviewing method, and sampling universe, as well as date of poll. The Library has the text of many of the polls on microfiche (American Public Opinion Data).
- Index to International Public Opinion. Westport, CT: Greenwood,
1978-ongoing.
Location: HM261 .I552 Reference - Summary data from public opinion polls conducted in all parts of the world. Includes both single nation and multinational surveys.
- American Statistics Index (ASI). Washington, DC: Congressional
Information Service, 1973-ongoing.
Location: Table 3; Reference - Covers statistics in all U.S. government publications, including Congressional hearings. In two parts: an abstract volume, arranged by issuing agency, which describes the statistics available in each publication; and a detailed index volume.
- Index to International Statistics: IIS. Washington, DC: Congressional
Information Service, 1983-ongoing.
Location: Table 3; Reference - Provides access to statistical publications of the United Nations and other international organizations. Issued monthly in two parts: index and abstracts.
- Statistical Reference Index (SRI). Washington, DC: Congressional
Information Service, 1981-ongoing.
Location: Table 3; Reference - Indexes and abstracts business, financial and social statistics from sources other than the U.S. government. The microfiche set which supports this index is located near the reference desk.
- Online Survey Research/Public Opinion Centers: A Worldwide Listing
- A comprehensive listing of academic survey web sites by state, U.S. polling/survey firms, professional associations, and selected international polling web sites.
Still can't find a poll?
Try a periodical index. Use the subject heading "public opinion" as well as the words for your subject. The articles usually do not provide the full text of the survey, only the results and an analysis.
Sources
- An American Profile: opinions and behavior, 1972-1989. Floris W.
Wood, ed. Detroit: Gale Research, 1990.
Location: HM261 .W66 1990 Reference - Includes data from the General Social Survey. Data must be from questions asked at least once since 1986 and asked at least six times during the last 16 years. Includes title keyword index.
- California Opinion Index. San Francisco: The Field Institute, 19??
Location: HN79 .C23 P83 Reference - Each report is 4-8 pages and charts opinion on topics through series of polls.
- Field Poll (formerly California Poll). San Francisco: The
Field Institute, 1992-ongoing.
Location: HN79 .C23 P833 Reference - Results of polls conducted in California by the Field Institute. The Field Institute is an independent media sponsored public opinion news service operating since 1947. No indexing in print.
- The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources,
1935-ongoing.
Location: HN90 .P8 G3 Reference - Annual compilation of major Gallup Polls on social and political issues affecting American society. Includes a detailed description of sampling techniques and notes analyzing trends and changes over time. Each volume has a subject index.
- Gallup Poll Monthly
Location: HM261 .A1 G34 Reference - Results of national surveys conducted by the Gallup Poll. Includes tables with data and some analysis of the findings.
- Gallup Organization
- "The world's premier source for public opinion data since 1935. The Gallup Poll covers new social and business-related issues every week. Special reports provide in-depth analysis on social and commercial issues around the world. Key reports and data are archived from March 96 to present. Frank Newport, Editor offers insights in From The Editor, and much more." - from the web page
- NES Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior (National Election Studies)
- "The Guide provides political observers, policy makers, journalists, teachers, students, and social scientists with immediate access to tables and graphs that display the ebb and flow of public opinion and electoral behavior and choice in American politics since 1952. The Guide presents responses to a small portion of the questions that have been asked in the 1952-1996 National Election Studies." -from the web page
- Public Opinion Online. Roper Center. 1935 to Present.
- Available through Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe in the "Reference -- Polls & Surveys" section.
- Public Opinion Poll Question Database
- "Public opinion data available through the Database include Louis Harris polls, Carolina and Southern Focus Polls, polls conducted by members of the National Network of State Polls, and surveys conducted in several Latin American countries (in the original language)." -from the web page
- Trends in Public Opinion: A Compendium of Survey Data. Richard G.
Niemi, John Mueller, Tom W. Smith. NY: Greenwood Press, 1989.
Location: HN90 .P8 N53 Reference - Time series data from the General Social Survey as well as other surveys. Includes a subject index.
