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Public opinion polls for historians

Great Britain

Public opinion (London, England) [microform]. London : G. Cole, 1861-1951.
RECAP MICROFILM S01253

World political opinion and social surveys. Series one: British opinion polls. [microform]. Reading, Berkshire : Research Publications, 1990-
MICROFICHE 2282

British opinion polls, 1960-1988: a comprehensive subject and names index of the complete range of surveys and opinion polls by Gallup, NOP, MORI, and Harris in Great Britain, 1960-1988 Edited and compiled by David Tyler. Reading, Berkshir : Research Publications, 1990.
(Film B) HN400.P8 B757 1990

This is an index to the microfiche set of British opinion polls. The first volume is arranged by subject and the second by date. It is particularly useful for following changes in public opinion on a wide range of political, economic and social issues. Note the fiche number and date to find the original documents. HOWEVER, note that the date, name of the polling organization, and topic can also be used to find the question and responses in other sources.

Mass Observation

Mass Observation Online The Mass Observation project recorded the views and experiences of ordinary Britons from 1937 into the early 1960s. The archive is a rich source of information about Britain before, during and after World War II, and about changes in attitudes to many topics in social and economic life. Note that this is new material, in addition to what we already held in microfilm:

Mass Observation Archive [microform]: papers from the Mass-Observation archive at the University of Sussex
RECAP Microfilm 11923
Printed guide: N384.5 .M37 2001
See online guides at http://www.adam-matthew-publications.co.uk/digital_guides/m.aspx

Gallup polls

British political opinion, 1937-2000: the Gallup polls. Edited by Anthony King; compiled by Robert J. Wybrow; foreword by Alec Gallup. London : Politico’s Publishing, 2001.
Firestone Library (F) JN961 .B75 2001

Summarizes the results especially for political questions that have been asked in many years, so useful for understanding changes over time.

The Gallup international public opinion polls, Great Britain, 1937-1975. George H. Gallup, general editor. New York : Random House, c1976.
Data and Statistical Services (DSS). Firestone HN400.P8 G34

British Social Attitudes Survey

British Social Attitudes Survey (1983-)
This survey is conducted by the National Centre for Social Research. The annual reports analyze the results by topic and provide a summary of changing attitudes, as well as additional references. The most recent reports are online; earlier in print. The data and documentation are available from ICPSR.

British social attitudes cumulative sourcebook : the first six surveys. Compiled by Lindsay Brook ... [et al.]. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, Vt. : Gower: Social & Community Planning Research, c1992. Annex A, Forrestal (TEMP): Oversize HN400.P8 B73 1992q

British social attitudes [annual reports] Firestone Library (F) HN400.P8 B74

ICPSR: http://www.icpsr.com/icpsrweb/ICPSR/series/00009

Reference

British public opinion: a guide to the history and methodology of political opinion polling. Robert M. Worcester. Oxford; Cambridge, MA: B. Blackwell, 1991.
Firestone Library (F) HN400.P8 W67 1991
A concise history of political opinion polls in Britain from 1937-1987.

British comment on the United States: a chronological bibliography, 1832-1899. Ada B. Nisbet ; edited by Elliot J. Kanter ; with a foreword by Asa Briggs. Berkeley : University of California Press, c2001.
Annex A, Forrestal (TEMP): Z6465.U5 N58 2001