Welcome
Public opinion polls are a key way to measure what people think about politics, society, and current issues. This guide highlights trusted databases, survey archives, and polling organizations in the United States and around the world. It also includes tips for evaluating polls so you can use them with confidence in research papers, class projects, or presentations.
Where to Start
Not sure where to start? Here’s how to choose the right resource:
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Need quick facts or charts for a class project?
Try Statista, Gallup, or the Pew Research Center for summaries, graphics, and ready-to-use statistics. -
Looking for in-depth reports on U.S. attitudes?
Use General Social Survey (GSS), American National Election Studies (ANES), or Public Agenda for long-term trends and analysis. -
Want to analyze raw data for your own research?
Go to ICPSR, Roper Center, or ANES for downloadable datasets you can work with directly. -
Interested in international perspectives?
Explore Afrobarometer (Africa), Eurobarometer (Europe), Latin American Public Opinion Project, or Our World in Data for global comparisons. -
Following elections or current politics?
Check FiveThirtyEight, RealClearPolitics, or polls from ABC News/Washington Post and CBS News for up-to-date results.
How to Evaluate Polls
Use these resources to check whether a poll is reliable before citing it in your work.
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20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results (Roper Center for Public Opinion Research)A practical introduction to polling. Covers essential issues such as sample size, question wording, and order effects.
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Pew Research Center: Methods 101A series of short, free videos explaining common survey research concepts like margin of error, random sampling, and survey weighting.
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American Association for Public Opinion Research - Student ResourcesPlain-language FAQs on survey design, response rates, and interpreting results.