Research Guides: POLS 320: Democracy in America (HC): Polling Data / Statistics

Accessing Polling Data

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
Among its data sets, ICPSR includes much public poll information. Do a keyword search.
Example: (opinion OR poll*) AND "climate change" AND "united states"
Results include:
Survey: Global Views 2008: American Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
Respondents were asked to rank climate change as a threat. They were also asked about international climate change treaties.
Louis Harris Data Center (Dataverse)
Open access collection of U. S. public opinion poll data. Searchable by topic.
National Network of State Polls
The web site includes an archive of state-level opinion poll data.
World Public Opinion Poll
Reports that summarize opinion data. Done in partnership with the International Institutions and Global Governance program at the Council on Foreign Relations.

For more opinion poll data from Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, see:
Quinnipiac University Polling Institute
Quinnipiac University conducts timely public opinion polls on politics and public policy in Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and nationally as a public service and for academic research. Includes a searchable question database with downloadable summaries, trend tables, cross-tabulated tables, and methodological files.
Franklin & Marshall College Poll
Long-running, timely Pennsylvania statewide poll from the Center for Opinion Research. The poll tracks citizen opinion on politics, public affairs, public policy, and elections in Pennsylvania. Downloads include periodic survey release results summaries, and 2008-2011 results for the national-level polls.

Finding Statistics

Statistics and demographic information often play a key role in political analysis. A vast and complex array of statistical information is available, mostly online. Before attempting to use the more specific statistical sources, it is good to check one of the general statistical sites below maintained by both the government and commercial publishers. Compilations are especially good for finding a single statistic, e.g., the number of elementary school children in the U.S., the ten most populated cities in the United States, the percentage of the U.S. population which is of Hispanic origin, etc.

Data.gov
Data.gov provides access through a searchable catalog to U.S. government data. The broad range of topic areas reflects the mandate of U.S. government agencies to capture data in their varied areas of responsibility.
Explore Census Data
Find demographic, social and economic data compiled by the U. S. Census Bureau. Includes tables, maps and data visualizations.
Pennsylvania State Data Center
The official source for population and economic statistics for the state.
PolicyMap
PolicyMap includes a range of indicators from the census tract level through the state level about communities. The ability to combine income and education levels along with demographic and quality of life measures allows for identification and interpretations of neighborhoods.

Social Explorer
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This is a very rich and flexible tool for analyzing data and locations. Offers access to reports and interactive maps for the U.S. Census (1790-present), health in the U.S. and American election data, among others. A project of Queens College, sponsored by the New York Times and the National Science Foundation.

TRAC (Transactional Records access Clearinghouse)
Syracuse University provides robust data through Freedom of Information requests. Especially useful for U.S. immigration but also includes data from the DEA, FBI and ATF.

Compilations in Specific Subject Areas

U.S. Election Statistics: A Resource Guide
Resources selected by the Library of Congress.
Vital Statistics on American Politics
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Includes data on elections, branches of government, media, social policy, and the economy. Several of the volumes for previous years are available only in print copies.