---
title: "Our Methods"
description: "Pew Research Center is committed to meeting the highest methodological standards — and to exploring the newest frontiers of research. Learn more about the methods the Center uses to conduct objective, non-partisan research on a wide range of topics that…"
date: "2021-05-27"
authors:
  - name: "Peter Bell"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/"
---

# Our Methods

Pew Research Center is committed to meeting the highest methodological standards — and to exploring the newest frontiers of research. Learn more about the methods the Center uses to conduct objective, non-partisan research on a wide range of topics that is trusted around the world.

[![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/05/PRC_MethodologyPagePromos_US_surveys-1.png?w=1024)](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/u-s-surveys/)

#### [U.S. Surveys](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/u-s-surveys/)

[![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/05/PRC_MethodologyPagePromo_International3-2x.png?w=640)](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/international-surveys/)

#### [International Surveys](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/international-surveys/)

[![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/05/PRC_MethodologyPagePromo_Deomographics_3-2.png?w=640)](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/data-sources-for-demographic-research/)

#### [Demographic Analysis](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/data-sources-for-demographic-research/)

[![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/05/PRC_MethodologyPagePromos_data_science-2.png?w=1024)](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/data-labs/)

#### [Data Science](https://www.pewresearch.org/our-methods/data-labs/)

#### Featured Methods Publications

short readAug 28, 2024

[      ](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/08/28/key-things-to-know-about-us-election-polling-in-2024/)

## [Key things to know about U.S. election polling in 2024](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/08/28/key-things-to-know-about-us-election-polling-in-2024/)

Polls are more useful to the public if people have realistic expectations about what surveys can do well – and what they cannot.

fact sheetOct 3, 2023

[      ](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/fact-sheet/national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/)

## [National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS)](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/fact-sheet/national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/)

NPORS is an annual survey of U.S. adults conducted by the Pew Research Center used to to produce benchmark estimates for several topics.

reportApr 19, 2023

[      ](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2023/04/19/how-public-polling-has-changed-in-the-21st-century/)

## [How Public Polling Has Changed in the 21st Century](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2023/04/19/how-public-polling-has-changed-in-the-21st-century/)

A new study found that 61% of national pollsters used different methods in 2022 than in 2016. And last year, 17% of pollsters used multiple methods to sample or interview people – up from 2% in 2016.

reportJul 1, 2024

[      ](https://www.pewresearch.org/course/public-opinion-polling-basics/)

## [Public Opinion Polling Basics](https://www.pewresearch.org/course/public-opinion-polling-basics/)

By the end of our free, six-lesson course, you will know why we have polls, what the different kinds of polls are, how polling works and what you should look for in a poll.

reportApr 8, 2021

[      ](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2021/04/08/confronting-2016-and-2020-polling-limitations/)

## [Confronting 2016 and 2020 Polling Limitations](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2021/04/08/confronting-2016-and-2020-polling-limitations/)

Looking at final estimates of the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential race, 93% of national polls overstated the Democratic candidate’s support among voters, while nearly as many (88%) did so in 2016.

reportMar 2, 2021

[      ](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2021/03/02/what-2020s-election-poll-errors-tell-us-about-the-accuracy-of-issue-polling/)

## [What 2020’s Election Poll Errors Tell Us About the Accuracy of Issue Polling](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2021/03/02/what-2020s-election-poll-errors-tell-us-about-the-accuracy-of-issue-polling/)

Given the errors in 2016 and 2020 election polling, how much should we trust polls that attempt to measure opinions on issues?

[All Methodological Research >](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/methodological-research/)

#### More Methods Resources

[      ](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ9z-Af5ISavJpPlvdMU4T-etIDOUmldk)

## [Methods 101 Videos](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ9z-Af5ISavJpPlvdMU4T-etIDOUmldk)

Our series of brief explainer videos breaks down key topics in research methodology for non-expert audiences.

[      ](https://www.pewresearch.org/decoded/)

## [Decoded](https://www.pewresearch.org/decoded/)

A behind-the-scenes blog about research methods at Pew Research Center.

#### [U.S. Survey Methods Team](https://www.pewresearch.org/survey-methods-team/)

Pew Research Center’s[ U.S. survey methodologists ](https://www.pewresearch.org/survey-methods-team/)manage the Center’s American Trends Panel and provide guidance for all of the Center’s domestic public opinion research to ensure it meets the highest standards.

#### [International Survey Methods Team](https://www.pewresearch.org/international-survey-methods-team/)

The Center’s [International Survey Methods Team](https://www.pewresearch.org/international-survey-methods-team/) ensures that all cross-national and multicultural projects we conduct continue to meet the highest standards of data quality and representativeness.

#### [Data Labs Team](https://www.pewresearch.org/data-labs-team/)

The [Data Labs team ](https://www.pewresearch.org/data-labs-team/)of data scientists, computational social scientists and DevOps engineers uses computational methods to complement and expand on the Center’s existing research agenda.

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