NORC at the University of Chicago is one of the largest independent
social research
Social research is a research conducted by social scientists following a systematic plan. Social research methodologies can be classified as quantitative and qualitative.
* Quantitative designs approach social phenomena through quantifiable ...
organizations in the United States. Established in 1941 as the National Opinion Research Center, its corporate headquarters is located in downtown Chicago, with offices in several other locations throughout the United States. Organized as an independent corporation, more than half its board comes from faculty and administration of the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
. It also jointly staffs some university academic research centers.
History
The organization was founded by researcher Harry Field in 1941 as the National Opinion Research Center, with financial support from department-store heir and newspaper owner
Marshall Field III
Marshall Field III (September 28, 1893 – November 8, 1956) was an American investment banker, publisher, racehorse owner/breeder, philanthropist, grandson of businessman Marshall Field, heir to the Marshall Field department store fortune, a ...
(no relation) and the
University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU) is a private university, private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Mountain States, Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is ...
, where it was located. The center moved to the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
in 1947. Since its founding, NORC at the University of Chicago has conducted numerous
social research
Social research is a research conducted by social scientists following a systematic plan. Social research methodologies can be classified as quantitative and qualitative.
* Quantitative designs approach social phenomena through quantifiable ...
projects involving opinion surveys, panel surveys, and marketing research. It also has conducted other data collection efforts for government agencies, nonprofit agencies, and corporations.
Data from surveys are also often analyzed in a wide range of
social science
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soc ...
s, especially
sociology
Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...
. NORC is best known for its large, national surveys, but has also conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses, longitudinal analyses, methodological studies, and international projects.
Clients
NORC clients have included:
*
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...
*
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was ...
–
Gates Millennium Scholars Tracking and Longitudinal Study, Washington State Achievers Program
*
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
(CDC) –
National Immunization Survey (NIS), National Flu Survey
*
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
–
Florida Ballot Project[
*]Federal Reserve Board
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, commonly known as the Federal Reserve Board, is the main governing body of the Federal Reserve System. It is charged with overseeing the Federal Reserve Banks and with helping implement the mon ...
– Survey of Consumer Finances
*NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
– Community Reactions to Sonic Booms, Effects of Sonic Boom on People
*''New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' – Florida Ballot Project
*Tribune Company
Tribune Media Company, also known as Tribune Company, was an American multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Through Tribune Broadcasting, Tribune Media was one of the largest television broadcasting companies, owning 39 ...
– Florida Ballot Project[
*]U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
– Integrated Communications Program (ICP) Evaluation
*U.S. Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...
– Camp Lejeune Environmental Health Survey
*U.S. Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...
– Survey of Earned Doctorates
* U.S. Department of Energy – Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey
* U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – National Survey of Children's Health, National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE)
*U.S. Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the United States federal executive departments, executive departments of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government. It is responsible for the administration of fede ...
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as a principal agency of t ...
– National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
*''Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' – Florida Ballot Project[
*]World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
– Survey Data Collection for Impact Evaluation
Notable projects
* AP Votecast, 2018–present: A survey system of voters and non-voters developed with the Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
that replaces AP's exit polls
An election exit poll is a poll of voters taken immediately after they have exited the polling stations. A similar poll conducted before actual voters have voted is called an entrance poll. Pollsters – usually private companies working for ...
. The system debuted in 2018.
* National Survey of Children's Health, 2003–present: Examines the physical and emotional health of children ages 0–17 years of age. Funded by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
* National Immunization Survey (NIS), 1994–present: Provides the public with important statistics about childhood immunization and related health matters. Funded by the CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
.
* Survey of Consumer Finances The ''Survey of Consumer Finances'' (SCF) is a triennial statistical survey of the balance sheet, pension, income and other demographic characteristics of families in the United States; the survey also gathers information on the use of financial ins ...
(SCF), 1992–present: Collects information about household financial characteristics and behavior. In the United States, it is thought to be the best source of information about family finances. Approximately 4,500 subjects participate in the survey. Funded by the Federal Reserve Board
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, commonly known as the Federal Reserve Board, is the main governing body of the Federal Reserve System. It is charged with overseeing the Federal Reserve Banks and with helping implement the mon ...
.
* General Social Survey
The General Social Survey (GSS) is a sociological survey created and regularly collected since 1972 by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. It is funded by the National Science Foundation. The GSS collects informati ...
(GSS), 1972–present: Monitors social change and the complexity of American society. This survey plays an important role in American sociology
Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...
. After the U.S. Census, it is the second most frequently analyzed source of information for the social sciences in the United States. Funded by the Sociology Program of the National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...
.
* National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
The National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) are a set of surveys sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor. These surveys have gathered information at multiple points in time on the labor market experiences and ...
(NLSY), 1966–present: Asks questions about economic, social, and academic experiences of the subjects. The survey also researches issues related to youth entry into the work force. Funded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as a principal agency of t ...
, U.S. Department of Labor.
* 2012 NORC Presidential Election Study, September–November 2012: Nonpartisan study of public opinion on candidate favorability, perception of the economy, issue knowledge, and healthcare before and after the presidential election. Funded by NORC at the University of Chicago.
* Making Connections Survey
The ''Making Connections'' Survey is a neighborhood-based, longitudinal and cross-sectional survey funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It serves as an evaluation of a larger initiative supported by the foundation and was designed to collect ...
(MCS), 2002–2011: Neighborhood-based, longitudinal and cross-sectional surveying residents in ten low-income communities across the United States. It serves as an evaluation of a larger AECF-supported initiative and was designed to collect data measuring how neighborhood change affects the well-being of children. The final survey dataset includes responses from roughly 28,000 interviews at three points in time. Funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
* National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN), 2002–2010: The primary goals of this survey are to assess the prevalence and impact of special health care needs among children in the U.S., and to evaluate change over time. Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), is one of six Bureaus within the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in Rockville, Maryland.
MCHB administers the Title ...
, Health Resources & Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in North Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for peop ...
, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
* Florida Ballot Project, February–May 2001: Re-examined the approximately 180,000 uncounted ballots in the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election. Funded by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Tribune Company, Palm Beach Post, St. Petersburg Times, and Associated Press. NORC was featured in the 2003 documentary film ''Orwell Rolls in His Grave
''Orwell Rolls in His Grave'' is a 2003 American documentary film directed by Robert Kane Pappas and written by Pappas and Tom Blackburn.
Documentary topic
The film covered topics including the Telecommunications Act of 1996, concentration of me ...
''.
* Sonic Boom Tests Reactions, 1961–1962: Public opinion measurement for the infamous sonic boom tests over Oklahoma City, which were intended to measure the impact of supersonic transport
A supersonic transport (SST) or a supersonic airliner is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. To date, the only SSTs to see regular service have been Concorde and the Tupol ...
s (SSTs) over populated areas. Funded by NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
.
Services
* AmeriSpeak
AmeriSpeak is a nationally-representative panel of survey respondents from households across the United States. Created in 2014 by NORC at the University of Chicago, AmeriSpeak members take surveys on various topics such as new consumer goods and ...
, October 2014–present: A representative cross-section of U.S households for the scientific study of public opinion. AmeriSpeak panelists take part in online and telephone surveys regarding current events, social and political trends, health care, government policies and programs, and consumer products and trends. Funded by NORC at the University of Chicago. (http://amerispeak.norc.org/)
References
External links
*
Guide to the National Opinion Research Center Records at the University of Denver
Retrieved 2014-09-26.
{{Coord, 41.7858, -87.5973, display=NORC at the University of Chicago
Organizations established in 1941
University of Chicago
Non-profit organizations based in Chicago
Public opinion research companies in the United States
1941 establishments in Illinois
Research institutes of the University of Chicago