Polling and Public Opinion Data: A Research Guide

Polling data and information on public opinion is migrating to online subscription databases. Resources the Cornell University Library subscribes to--not available free on the Internet--are labelled thus: .

This guide is focussed on sources of data and reference titles. For further information or to locate titles not listed here, please consult the reference staff in person or via telephone, e-mail, or online chat.

CISER (Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research): Public Opinion Surveys.

This Web page is a good place to begin looking for polling data online. Most Web sites listed on the Public Opinion Surveys section of the CISER Web site contain the complete text of opinion polls or surveys. The inclusiveness of these sites varies. Some can locate a question on a specific topic or contain an entire survey or questionnaire. Others include response cross tabulations and information on a survey's methodology. Includes information about data files held locally by CISER that are related to the online sites. (CISER's local data files are primarily for the use of faculty and graduate students conducting social science research).

Divided into four sections: National [i.e., U.S.] Opinion Surveys, Surveys with State or Regional Emphasis, Multinational or Cross-National Surveys, and Other Public Opinion Lists.

Guide to Public Opinion Poll Web Sites: Polling data from around the world.

Another aggregation of polling websites, this an article from College & Research Libraries News, the October 2006 issue compiled by by Gary Thompson and Sean Conley. This is an extensive, mostly annotated guide. Highly recommended.

Eurobarometer. Cologne: German Social Science Infrastructure Services. (not currently in the Gateway)

(Internet resource: http://www.gesis.org/en/data_service/eurobarometer/search/; viewed 29 June 2004)

"Standard Eurobarometer public opinion surveys are conducted on behalf of the European Commission at least two times a year in all member states of the European Union. Since the early seventies they are providing regular monitoring of social and political attitudes in the European publics." [Eurobarometer home page] This URL links to the searching page for this site which allows access to the questionnaires and codebooks for Eurobarometer surveys.

The Gallup Organization. Princeton: The Organization. (not currently in the Gateway)

(Internet resource: http://www.gallup.com/; viewed 29 June 2004)

Gallup's public Web site. Good for the most recent polling data. Detailed data available only to individual subscribers or in the print products we subscribe to (see below).

Harris Poll Library. [Rochester, NY]: Harris Interactive. (not currently in the Gateway)

(Internet resource: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/; viewed 29 June 2004)

Searchable archive of weekly Harris Poll publications from 1998 to date. "Begun in 1963, The Harris Poll weekly column is one of the longest running, most respected series of surveys measuring public opinion. The Harris Poll publishes new survey data on a wide variety of subjects including politics, the economy, health care, foreign affairs, science and technology, sports and entertainment, and lifestyles. Many of the survey questions are repeated throughout the years, thereby providing invaluable trend lines. The weekly Harris Poll is usually based on a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,000 adults aged 18 or over." [About the Harris Poll]

Polling the Nations: The Ultimate Survey Database. Silver Spring, Md: ORS Pub.

(Library Gateway: Find Databases)

Polls taken on a variety of subjects all over the world from 1986 to the present. Each record in the database consists of one poll question and the participants' responses. Records are indexed in one of more than 5,000 topics and six search fields: subject matter, question text, universe, date, polling organization and response categories. Other information provided includes: source name and contact information, sample size, and notes on the sample population. Partially supersedes American Public Opinion Index and American Public Opinion Data [microfiche].

Poll Track. Washington: National Journal Group, 2001- .

(Library Gateway: Find Databases)

Database of over 5,000 public opinion surveys on political races, important issues and national figures. The latest survey results are posted as soon as they become available, and compared to any previous polls in order to show emerging trends in a race or on an issue. Poll Track reports public opinion on campaigns and legislative and policy issues. The latest survey results are posted here as soon as they become available, and compared to any previous polls in order to show emerging trends in a race or on an issue. For White House, Senate, House and gubernatorial races the numbers in each contest are divided into head-to-head matchups, candidates' favorable/unfavorable ratings and miscellaneous questions, which include incumbents' job approval ratings. Approval ratings and polling data are also reported for national figures and institutions in the news. The site also provides a searchable archive of past opinion poll results.

Public Agenda Online. New York: Public Agenda, 1997- .

(Library Gateway: Find Databases)

"A nonpartisan opinion research organization that reports surveys conducted by national firms on public policy issues. Especially strong coverage of quality of life and social issues; for example, race relations, health care, privacy, drug abuse, crime, the environment, and immigration. Lots of eye-catching graphs and tables, and topic-specific pages contain cautionary notes about question wordings, the timing of the featured polls, and margins of error. A swell site." [Pam Baxter, CISER] More information about Public Agenda.

iPOLL. Storrs, CT: Roper Center for Public Opinion Research.

Requires that you enter your Cornell e-mail address to log in. iPOLL offers a searchable collection of poll questions and poll results from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, a nonprofit research organization located at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. iPOLL includes data survey results from academic, commercial and media survey organizations such as Gallup Organization, Harris Interactive, Pew Research Associates, and many more. The data come from all the surveys in the Roper Center archive that have US national adult samples or samples of registered voters, women, African Americans, or any subpopulation that constitutes a large segment of the national adult population. iPOLL does not include state samples or foreign samples. A full-text retrieval system, the iPOLL online database is organized at the question level, providing the tools to sift through nearly a half million questions asked on national public opinion surveys since 1935 and updated daily.

American Public Opinion Index. Louisville, KY: Opinion Research Service, 1981-2000. (Olin Stacks HM 261 .A1 A51; 2000 volume only in Reference.)

This index lists the texts of the questions asked in opinion polls administered nationwide, statewide, and locally. A cumulative index covers 1981-1985. Partially superseded by the online version, Polling the Nations, 1986 to date. Note that time series data is available in the fiche set that is not online, including years otensibly covered by the online database.

American Public Opinion Data. Louisville, KY: Opinion Research Service, 1981-2000. (Olin Microfiche 877, Lower Level)

Microfiche companion to American Public Opinion Index. Contains complete response data for surveys indexed in APOI, including extensive time series data going back to the 1970s. Use APOI to identify poll codes and dates of interest, then go to this microfiche set.

Contains complete response data for surveys by many different national and regional organizations in the U.S. This is a microfiche collection--in Current Periodicals & Microtext (CPM)--to be accessed by use of the American Public Opinion Index (see above), and using the procedure described below. Procedure: use the above-cited APO index in Reference to identify relevant surveys and write down poll code(s) and date(s).

The Gallup Poll. New York: Random House, 1935/1971- . Annual. (Olin Stacks HM 261 .G17 G2. Latest 5 volumes in Reference.)

A cumulative volume covers 1935 through 1971. 1972 to date covered in annual volumes. A cumulative print index covers 1935 to 1997. Each set of data is accompanied by an excellent essay on the significance of the data entitled "Analysis."

The Gallup Poll Public Opinion: 1935-1997. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 2000. One CD-ROM. (Olin Reference Disk HN 90 .P8 G29x 2000. Available in the Electronic Text Center.)

This CD-ROM edition contains results for all polls conducted between 1935 and 1997 and the cumulative index.

A cumulative volume covers 1935 through 1971. 1972 to date covered in annual volumes. A cumulative print index covers 1935 to 1997.

The Gallup Poll. Tuesday Briefing. Washington: The Gallup Organization, 1989- . (Olin HM 261 .A1 G17. Latest volume in Reference.) [Called The Gallup Poll Monthly from 1989-2002, Gallup Report from 1981-1989, Gallup Opinion Index from 1967-1981, Gallup Political Index from 1965-1967].

A monthly collection of short articles on topics of current interest. Often includes extensive historical data. A useful source of paper and speech ideas.

Harris Poll. Los Angeles: Creators Syndicate, 1981 to date. (Olin Stacks HM 261 .P8 H31 +. Latest volume in Reference.) Weekly. [Called The Harris Survey, New York: Louis Harris & Associates from 1981-1987. See also ABC News-Harris Survey from 1979-1980 (Olin Stacks HN 90 .P8 A12 +) and Harris Survey Yearbook of Public Opinion from 1970-1973 (Olin Stacks HM 261 .A1 H31 +)].

"Begun in 1963, The Harris Poll weekly column is one of the longest running, most respected series of surveys measuring public opinion. The Harris Poll publishes new survey data on a wide variety of subjects including politics, the economy, health care, foreign affairs, science and technology, sports and entertainment, and lifestyles. Many of the survey questions are repeated throughout the years, thereby providing invaluable trend lines. The weekly Harris Poll is usually based on a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,000 adults aged 18 or over." [About the Harris Poll] For 1998 to date online see the Harris Poll Library.

New Strategist publications

Search "new strategist" as Publisher in Voyager Guided Keyword. American Attitudes (Olin stacks HN 90 .P8 M58x 2000 +) is a repackaging of data from the General Social Survey of the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. American Generations 4th edition: Olin Reference HN 110 .C6 M583x 2004) integrates survey data with other statistics to present a generational portrait of American consumers.

Australian Opinion Polls, 1941-1977. Sydney: Hale & Iremonger & University of Sydney Sample Survey Centre, 1978. (Olin Stacks HN 850 .Z9 P97)

Index to kinds of data collected only. Actual polling data are housed in various Australian libraries. Data locations are cataloged in this title.

British Opinion Polls, 1960-1988. Edited and compiled by David Tyler. Reading, England: Research Publications, 1990. [Guide for the microfiche set World Political Opinion and Social Surveys: Series One, British Opinion Polls.] (Olin Library Reference Microfiche 1292 Index; Olin Stacks HM 261 .B85 1990)

A comprehensive printed subject and names index of the complete range of surveys and opinion polls by Gallup, NOP, MORI, and Harris in Great Britain, 1960-1988, in two volumes. Provides bibliographic access to the original surveys, bulletins, newsletters, data and questionnaires available on microfiche from Research Publications.

World Political Opinion and Social Surveys. Series One, British Opinion Polls [microform]. Reading, Berkshire: Research Publications. 215 microfiches. (Olin Microfiche 1292)

Microfiche set of data for 1960-1988 indexed by the two-volume guide above. Some overlap with Gallup International Public Opinion Polls, Great Britain and Index to International Public Opinion.

The Gallup International Public Opinion Polls, France, 1939, 1944-1975. New York: Random House, 1976. 2 volumes. (Olin Reference HN 440 .P8 G17)

Note years of coverage. Results of polling by the Gallup organization in France, the French Institute of Public Opinion.

The Gallup International Public Opinion Polls, Great Britain, 1937-1975. New York: Random House, 1976. 2 volumes. (Olin Reference HN 400 .P8 G17 )

Note years of coverage. Data from the British Gallup Poll, aka the British Institute of Public Opinion.

Index to International Public Opinion. [Prepared by Survey Research Consultants International]. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1978/79-1998/1999. (Olin Stacks HM 261 .A1 I38 +; latest volume in Reference.)

The latest volume contains data from opinion survyes conducted in 73 countries. May include breakdowns by gender, ethnicity, household income, and age in addition to total sample results. Covers current-year research, but many "time series tables covering a decade or more are included." Divided into two sections: Single Nation Surveys, further divided into major topics and then more narrow subjects then arranged alphabetically by country; Multinational Surveys divided into geographic region and then subject. Each question or table entry identifies the polling source, lists the sample size, describes the sample population, and provides poll results for that question. Three indexes.

Public Opinion, 1935-1946. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951. (Olin Reference HM 261 .P97 +)

"Collected from 23 organizations in 16 countries." [Introduction]. Resembles the Index to International Public Opinion (above). Interesting data from the World War II era.

Traugott, Michael W., and Paul J. Lavrakas. The Voter's Guide to Election Polls. 3rd ed. New York: Rowan & Littlefield, 2004. (Olin Reference HN 90 .P8 T73 2004)

Ten chapters highlight the major elements of electoral polls and polling in the U.S.: an introduction to polls and surveys, the four main elements of the design and analysis of polls, evaluating polls, and a discussion of common complaints about polls and polling. Bibliographies with substantial annotations end each chapter. An excellent resource.

Young, Michael L. Dictionary of Polling: The Language of Contemporary Opinion Research. New York: Greenwood Press, 1992. (Olin Reference HM 261 .Y74)

Defintions of about four hundred terms. The content of each entry is carefully linked to the appropriate source in the extensive bibliography.