Web Sites: PollingReport.com is the site for The Polling Report newsletter, an "independent survey of trends affecting elections, government, and business." It covers such polls as Gallup, Harris, Princeton Survey Research Associates, and broadcast news. Public Agenda Online: Public Opinion and Public Policy is a "nonpartisan, nonprofit public opinion research and citizen education organization." Be sure to see the section About Polling. Washington Post.com The Poll Watchers is a weekly column analyzing current surveys and problems in opinion research. May require free registration to view. Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. Since 1947 this nonprofit center has studied public opinion. It seeks to "promote the intelligent, responsible and imaginative use of public opinion" in addressing problems. It maintains a huge archive of public opinion data. The Gallup Organization, a leading independent pollster for more than 70 years. Be sure to visit the Frequently Asked Questions on How Polls are Conducted. See also the Harris Poll Library from Harris Interactive. Howard W. Odum Institute Poll Item Database is a repository for over 1000 Harris Polls (to 1958) and others with more than 60,000 questions. Keyword searchable in the Question Database Query Page. STATS is a non-profit, non-partisan Statistical Assessment Service (STATS) that covers "the use and abuse of science and statistics in the media." Their goal: to "correct scientific misinformation in the media resulting from bad science, politics, or a simple lack of information or knowledge; and to act as a resource for journalists and policy makers on major scientific issues and controversies." The Center for Media and Public Affairs is a is a nonpartisan research and educational organization which "conducts scientific studies of the news and entertainment media" in order to "provide an empirical basis for ongoing debates over media fairness and impact through well-documented, timely, and readable studies of media content." The "scientific" part is what sets them apart from other watchdog groups. You can read full text editions of the bi-monthly Media Monitors publications. They even tally late night TV political jokes. Pew Research Center for the People and the Press is an "independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues." Major areas studied are: credibility and salience of the news media; values and attitudes that stimulate the political behavior of various voting groups; measuring how major news stories are followed and how they effect politics and policy issues; public and opinion leaders on international policy; use of the Internet and traditional news outlets. Poynter.org from the Poynter Institute aims to help journalists do their jobs better. A great place to track media coverage. Included are first-hand reports from journalists about their covering of recent events. The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) was established in 1962 to preserve and provide access to a "vast archive of social science data for research and instruction." It supports effective data use in analysis and research. The National Council on Public Polls is an association of the major polling organizations. See especially the section: 20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results. The American Association of Political Consultants, founded in 1969, is a bipartisan organization of political professionals: consultants, pollsters, campaign managers, corporate public affairs officers, professors, fund-raisers, lobbyists, congressional staffers and vendors. Often competitors on election day, they share professional concerns of standards of practice, ethical concerns, and promoting the benefits of the profession to the democratic process. The American Association for Public Opinion Research is the public opinion and survey research industry's professional organization. As such, its members conduct research, promote quality and standards. Some information about survey methods can be found on the site. See also: The Council of American Survey Research Organizations, another trade association of survey research businesses; The Council for Marketing & Opinion Research, the industry advocate, which promotes the acceptance of marketing and opinion research by the public and the government. Election Projection Check the " Blogging Caesar" for more sites and blogs. See, for instance, Current Electoral Vote Predictor. Real Clear Politics Collections of articles, columns, Web pieces and polling results. Articles: Use EBSCOHost Academic Search Premier in Research Databases (Outside the Library OPLIN databases require an Ohio public library card for access). The Incentive to Listen: Progressive Ambition, Resources, and Opinion Monitoring among State Legislators. Maestas, Cherie. Journal of Politics, 65:2, May 2003, p. 439, (18 p.) The Impact of Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Social Movement Organizations on Public Policy: Some Recent Evidence and Theoretical Concerns. Burstein, Paul; Linton, April. Social Forces, 81:2, Dec. 2002, p.381, (28 p.) Government, corporate or social power? The Internet as a tool in the struggle for dominance in public policy. Roper, Juliet. Journal of Public Affairs (Henry Stewart), 2:3, Aug. 2002, p.113, (12 p.) Public Opinion, Constitutional Democracy, and the New Technology. Martinson, David L. Social Studies, 93:2, Mar./Apr. 2002, p.68, (5p.) Knowing the Public Mind. Bowman, Karlyn. Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2001, Vol. 25 Issue 4, p. 90, (8 p.) Political Awareness, Opinion Constraint and the Stability of Ideological Positions. Bartle, John. Political Studies, 48:3, Jun. 2000, p. 467, (18 p.) Bringing the public back in: Should sociologists consider the impact of public opinion on public policy. Burstein, Paul. Social Forces, 77:1, Sep. 1998, p. 27, (36 p.) Two Different Worlds: The Relationship Between Elite and Mass Opinion on American Foreign Policy, Isaac, Maxine. Political Communication, 15:3, Jul-Sep. 1998, p. 323, (23 p.) Public opinion polling and the future of democracy. Lake, Celinda; Sosin, Jennifer. National Civic Review, 87:1, Spring 1998, p. 65, (6 p.) Public opinion and public policy, 1980-1993. Monroe, Alan D.. Public Opinion Quarterly, Spring 1998, Vol. 62 Issue 1, p. 6, 23 p. The Impact of Public Opinion on Public Policy: A Review and an Agenda. Burstein, Paul. Political Research Quarterly, 56:1, Mar. 2003, p. 29, (12 p.) Full text not available online. Deliberative Polling and Public Consultation. Fishkin, James S.; Luskin, Robert C.; Jowell, Roger. Parliamentary Affairs, 53:4, Oct. 2000, p. 657, (10p.) Full text not available online. |
