Books

For books containing public opinion or information about polls and survey research consult the UT Catalog using the following subjects:

• public opinion
• public opinion polls
• public opinion research
• social surveys
• market surveys
• election forecasting

It is also possible to use the subdivision PUBLIC OPINION under names of individual person, corporate bodies, or topical subjects (i.e. taxation--public opinion). Works on polls taken in a specific place are assigned anadditional heading (i.e public opinion-- southern states).

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Data Files

To identify primary data from individual researchers, polling agencies, and governmental agencies consult the archive collection of the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research. Access to the data is restricted to faculty and students on the UTK-Campus. For information on how to search or download data, consult the ICPSR Guide, or contact the Official Representative to the Consortium, eread@utk.edu.

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Databases

Several databases are available that identify journal articles. Most are available electronically through our library network, but are restricted to UTK faculty, students and staff. Connect to the UT Library Home page at (http://www.lib.utk.edu). Under Resources select "Databases".

• Academic Search Premier
  Contains both popular periodicals and scholarly journals. "Public Opinion Polls" is a subject category.
• Business Source Premier
  Covers approximately 3000 business journals. Includes such titles as Advertising Age, American Demographics, and Broadcasting. Major subject headings are PUBLIC OPINION, POLLS AND SURVEYS, ATTITUDE SURVEY
• ComAbstracts
  Produced by the Communication Institute for Online Scholarship. Contains abstracts of articles from over 50 journals in the professional literature of communications, including Public Opinion Quarterly, Media Studies Journal, and Human Communication Research. Abstracts can be searched full text.
• Communication Abstracts: An International Information Service (P90.C6275 Ref.)
  Indexes journals, books, and book chapters in the area of communications. Includes articles from Public Opinion Quarterly, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, and Newspaper Research Journal. Major subject terms are POLLING, SURVEYS, and POLLS.
• Lexis/Nexis Academic
  Click on the Reference Category to find the Polls & Surveys. This database takes you to the Roper Center for Public Opinion. Click on the General news category for full-text information from newspapers, journals, and periodicals.
• National Journal Group's Policy Central
  A comprehensive resource on politics. Includes Poll Track and daily news briefings of the latest political developments. Also access to National Journal, Hotline, CongressDaily, The Almanac of American Politics.
• PAIS International (enter PAIS in search box)
  Covers a wide range of public opinion information from journals, books, and government documents. Major subject heading is PUBLIC OPINION.
• PsycINFO
  An index of the world's psychological journal literature which includes abstracts for articles on the psychological aspects of public opinion. Subject terms are PUBLIC OPINION AND ATTITUDES. Some typical journals included are Journal of Social Psychology, Political Behavior, Communications Research, and Journal of Communication. We also now have a database called PsycArticles which provides full-text access to 42 key journals from the American Psychological Association.
• Social Sciences Abstracts (enter social sciences in dialog box)
  Over 350 periodicals from the fields of anthropology, area studies, criminal justice, community health and medical care, urban studies, sociology, social work, policy studies, political science, psychology, and other related disciplines. Subject headings are PUBLIC OPINION, PUBLIC OPINION POLLS, SURVEYS, and ATTITUDES.
• SOCIOFILE (enter sociofile in dialog box)
  This is the electronic version of Sociological Abstracts. Terms are PUBLIC OPINION, SURVEYS, OPINION POLLS, or search the specific subject of interest.
• Statistical Universe - Lexis Nexis Statistical
  Part of the Lexis/Nexis Service, this database contains references to statistics from state and federal government, and private organizations. Use terms like attitude surveys, opinion, consumer surveys.
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Newspapers

Newspapers can be a useful source for poll results. In some cases the specific poll organizations can be searched, i.e. Harris, Yankelovich, CBS/New York Times Poll.

• Factiva (formally Dow Jones)
  This online service provides full text access to a wealth of U.S. and International Newspapers. Also claims to have over 6000 full text periodicals.
• Lexis/Nexis Academic
  Provides full text access to nearly 5000 English language sources, including newspapers. Has a category for major newspapers and regional resources.
• Links to Online News Sources
  This page takes you to world, national, and local news sources. Includes easy to search directories of Online Newspapers.
• New York Times, Historical Newspapers
  Digitally scanned full text access to back files of New York Times. Presently coverage dates vary. When completed in summer of 2002, the coverage will be 1851-1998.

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Reference Titles - A Selected List

• An American Profile - Opinions and Behavior 1972 - 1989 (HM261. A85 Ref.)
  Opinion results from approximately 300 high interest questions from the General Social Survey.
• Dictionary of Polling: The Language of Contemporary Research (HM 261.Y684.1992 Ref.)
  Over 400 important terms in the field of polling are clearly defined. Definitions are written for both people who produce polls and those who use them.
• Gallup Poll Monthly (HM261.G36) Latest year in Reference.
  Has approximately 7 polls for each issue. Back years are located in the 4th Floor Stacks.
• Gallup Poll Public Opinion, 1935 - 1971 (3 vol.) (HN90.P8G3 1935/71 Ref.)
  Contains statistical data released to newspapers.
• Gallup Poll, 1972 - 1977 (2 vol.) (HN90.PG832 Ref.)
  Compilation of public opinion polls from 1972 - 1977.
• Gallup Poll, Public Opinion 1978 - (HN90.P8G3 Ref.)
  Yearly volumes from 1978 to present. Contains economic, social, and political public opinion results. Has a chronology of year's events.
• Opinions 90 (HN90. P8Q65 1990 Ref.)
  Extracts from public opinion surveys and polls conducted by business, government, professional, and news organizations.

 

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Current Periodicals/ E-Journals

There are several publications received in the Periodicals Room (2nd Floor) that are useful to a researcher interested in public opinion. Some of the more popular ones are: American Demographics (HB3505.A66), Public Opinion Quarterly (HM261.AP8), Journal of Advertising Research (HP5801.J83), Journal of Applied Communication Research (HM258.J67), and National Journal Group's Policy Central.
This site contains polls from a variety of sources that cover public opinion on policy issues. It also contains the full text of questions.

PollingReport.com
Published twice a month, this e-journal publishes results of the some of the latest surveys from organizations such as Gallup, Yankelovich, and Harris. Polling Report is an independent, nonpartisan resource on American public opinion.

 

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Public Opinion Database

Public Opinion Database comes from the Howard W.Odum Institute for Research in Social Science at UNC. Contains a searchable database of questions from Louis Harris Polls, Carolina Polls, State Polls, and the Southern Focus Poll. Maintains an archive that can be searched by question, date, and state.

 

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Interlibrary Services

Access to materials not owned or licensed by The University of Tennessee Library.

 

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Selected Links to the Internet

• American Association for Public Opinion Research
  Has subject and author index to articles in Public Opinion Quarterly. Includes links to other public opinion research organizations and associations. For UT students and faculty access to Public Opinion Quarterly is via JSTOR database.
• Center on Policy Attitudes
  This public policy site has extensive reports and full questionnaire texts.
• The Gallup Organization
  Contains an archive of Gallup poll news releases, Gallup pole data, special reports, and information about the Gallup organization.
• Odum Institute for Research in Social Science Public Opinion
  This institute maintains a variety of national and state public opinion poll data. The IRSS Public Opinion Questionnaire Database is composed of data from 8 separate sources. The Louis Harris Data Center, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Polls/Southern Polls, the Carolina Polls, the National Network of State Polls, the General Social Survey, the Southern Focus Poll, the USA Today Polls, and the Latin America and Spanish Polls.
• OP-ED Online Resource
  Designed to help users get their views in print. Has pull down menus for selecting major publications. Site has tips for writing Op-Ed pieces.
• Opinion Pages
  Search English language newspapers/magazines for op/ed pages.
• Pew Center for the People and the Press
  An independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward press, politics and public policy issues.
• Political Science and Law
  A subject page that will take you to government, think tank, and political sites. Has a section on public policy and public opinion that will link to addition web sites of interest.
• PollingReport.Com
  Access to current polling results and articles. Can get recent results of latest surveys from Gallup, Harris, Yankelovich. Wide range of topics covered.
• Public Agenda
  Contains public opinion and policy analysis on key issues.
• The Pulse
  Is a "consumer's guide" to public opinion data on a wide range of issues such as education, health care, environment, social security, and the economy.
• Roper Center
  Has information on the resources and services of the Roper Center for Pubic Opinion. Can get full text articles from the Public Perspective Magazine.
• Survey Research Resources
  Survey research for social issues, policy analysis, and marketing.
• Quick Facts: Statistics and Public Opinion
  Statistics on media usage, content, and media issues.
• Zogby International

   

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  Compiled 12/03/03 by Jane S. Row, Social Sciences Coordinator John C. Hodges Library, The University of Tennessee. 37996-2000 (865) 974-4699; (865) 974-9242 fax. E-mail, at jrow@utk.edu.