Obtaining Research Data

 

Recent and historical public opinion surveys and focus group data are available from many sources.  The Michigan Center for Survey Research  (www.isr.umich.edu/src/) The Pew Research Center (www.people-press.org) and the Roper Center (www.ropercenter.uconn.edu) are repositories for volumes of survey data on environmental issues in general and may have polling data on EE issues.  Statewide groups like PennFuture www.pennfuture.org and national organizations like the League of Conservation Voters www.lcv.org and the Sustainable Energy Coalition www.americangreen.org/, all groups engaged in environmental issues and support work, could be another source of current polling data on EE and related topics.  

 

Other possible sources of survey data are political candidates and campaigns that no longer need the information and might be willing to part with some or all of it.  While this may be a source of cheap or free data, the downside risk is that it may be out-of-date and not necessarily test for the specific information needed. 

 

The most widely available data on media markets and target audiences can be found in the advertising and marketing departments of radio and television stations, newspapers and magazines.  If an EE group is even remotely considering the possibility of using paid advertisements as a tactic for disseminating its message, obtain the data available from these sources.  Broadcast and print media regularly conduct polls and amass reams of data on the demographic and attitudinal characteristics of their audiences and their respective media markets.  In the cases of radio and specialty publications, these outlets reach very specifically segmented audiences. Therefore, they normally have abundant survey data information about their audiences.

 

A fundamental consideration regarding existing surveys is to be creative in thinking about how to find out who has polled in a region or state on the EE and/or related issues.  Perhaps the state board of education, the department of natural resources or some other public or private agency has explored aspects of the EE issue in surveys.  Information like this might be readily available and useful.

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