The surveys are based on multistage representative cross-section samples of citizens of voting age, living in private households. Each study contains information from interviews conducted with 1,000 to 2,000 respondents. Interviewing was conducted after the presidential election of 1948, before and after all presidential elections since 1952, and after all congressional elections since 1958.
Interviews range from one to three hours in length.
Many questions are replicated across studies, although each has questions not asked in the others. Respondents' expectations about the outcome of the election, perceptions and evaluations of the major parties and candidates, and perceived importance of the election. Party identification and political history of respondents and their parents. Measurement of respondents' interest in politics and their political motivation. Respondents' positions on issues, the strength of these positions, and respondents' perceptions of the major parties' stands and differences relating to these issues.