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Table 1. The 1948-2000 NES Time-Series Data Collections
Year of Study NES Dataset ID ICPSR Study Number Design Features Number of Cases Number of Variables Special Themes and New Topics
1948 1948.T 7218 All Respondents were interviewed in the Post; 84 respondents were not interviewed in the Pre 662 62 Foreign Affairs
1952 1952.T 7213 100 Respondents were only interviewed in the Post 1899 293 Organizational affiliations; non-political attitudes
1956 1956.T 7214 The first of a panel of three; the other two consist of the 1958 and 1960 National Election Studies. Only Respondents who gave both Pre and Post interviews are included in the release dataset 1762 352 Attitudes toward Communism and desegregation, perception of group behavior.
1958 1958.T 7215 Most of the 1958 respondents were interviewed previously in 1956. Respondents who had not been interviewed in 1956 were selected from dwelling units vacated by 1956 repondents (movers). 1450 315 Representation: interviews simultaneously conducted with congressional candidates in congressional districts of the cross-section sample.
1960 1960.T 7216 Most of the 1960 respondents were interviewed previously in 1956 and/or 1958. Those new to the sample were selected from dwelling units vacated by 1958 respondents. 1181 336 Attention to presidential deabtes.
1962 1962.T 7217 Part of the SRC Fall omnibus; slightly different within household respondent selection procedures apply. 1297 107 Economic and political attitudes, family expectations and personal information.
1964 1964.TV 7235 Sample includes a special supplemnt for Black respondents (N=263) 1834 534 First Voter Validation; included in the data file. First use of 'feeling thermometer' (groups).
1966 1966.T 7259   1291 296 Attitudes and knowledge about the Supreme Court.
1968 1968.T 7281 Sample includes a special supplement for Black respondents (N=116). 1673 613 Confidence levels in government; voting on ballot propositions; local education.
1970 1970.T 7298 Sample includes a special supplement of Black respondents (N=114). 18-20 year olds were interviewed, although not eligible to vote unitil 1972. Study has two forms in order to maximize content. 1694 424 Order experiment on feeling thermometer; focus on 1970 congressional elections.
1972 1972.T 7010 First wave of a panel design (1972-1974 and 1972-1974-1976). Both Pre and Post used two forms to maximize content. 2705 1142 Quality of life, economic well-being, attitudes on race and women's issues.
1974 1974.T 7355 The study was designed to produce both a representative cross section of U.S. citizens and to be the second part of a three wave panel (1972-74-76) and first part of a 2-wave panel (1974-1976). 16- and 17- year olds were eligible but not included in the released data. 1575 564 Media use patterns, in conjunction with media content analysis only.
1976 1976.T 7381 The study was designed to produce both a representative cross-section of U.S. adult citizens and to complete a continuing empanelment of cases (1972-1974-1976 and 1974-1976). 2248 952 Impact of media and presidential debates on political learning; perceptions of economic conditions; quality of life; measures of self-esteem and trust.
1978 1978.TVX 7655 Congressional districts (N=108) as well as individuals were sampled. Contexual data about these congressional districts and the election campaigns therein is included in the dataset and also in six supplemental files. 2304 1330 Introduced greatly expanded Congressional context, most of which became "core" items repeated in each subsequent survey. Major emphasis was placed on the respondents' evaluations of their district's candidates along several dimensions; and on how much and what kinds of contact Rs had with candidates. Specific candidate/incumbent names are associated with each congressional district. Voter validation variables are included.
1980 1980.TVX 7763 As in 1978, the primary sampling area was the congressional district. Sample for the pre-election study was released in two halves: September 1st and October 1st. The PrePost study is only one part of the entire 1980 study, which is comprised of several data collections representing surveys conducted throughout strategically chosen periods in the course of the election year (see also the 1980 Major Panel and the 1980 Integrated File). Contextual data are included with this (the Time-series) file. 1614 1433 New measurement of party identification, voter attitudes concerning issues of public policy, public perceptions of and responses to political leadership, (i.e. introduction of "traits and affects" measures) and exploration of social networks role in vote choice. Vote validation data is included.
1982 1982.T 9042 Returns to the primary area of the SRC sampling frame. 1418 779 Evaluations of President Reagan's perfomance in office.
1984 1984.TV 8298 Pre-election sample was released in two week quarter-samples, so contamination of date of interview by ease of getting interview is minimized. Half of the Post-election interviews were conducted by telephone, half in person. 2257 1141 New topic areas include measures of "predispositions" such as individualism and egalitarianism. Vote validation data is included.
1986 1986.TV 8678 Two questionnaire forms were used; about 3/4 of the items on each form are in common. 2176 802 In addition to core items, new content includes questions on values, political knowledge, attitudes on racial policy as well as more general predisposition to racial attitudes. Form A content related to presidential evaluation; Form B content was related to racial attitudes. Vote validation data is included.
1988 1988.TV 9196 Two forms were used, in both the Pre and the Post which maximized content and also allowed extensive experiments in the survey response. 2040 1301 Retrospective evaluations of the Reagan presidency; evaluations of presidential primary candidates; new measures of system support and efficacy; vote validation is included.
1990 1990.TV 9548 Two survey forms were used; about 75% of content in common. First wave of the 1990-91-92 Panel. 1980 803 Form A emphasis on values and individualism; Form B on foreign affairs. Also, both forms contained questions on Persian Gulf conflict. Vote validation data are included.
1992 1992.TN 6067 Half of the respondents were first interviewed in 1990. The other half are part of a freshly drawn cross-section sample. Some of these panel respondents were also interviewed in 1991. The 2485 cases constitute a nationally represenatative cross-sample. 2485 2105 New content on racial and ethnic stereotypes; attitudes toward immigration and feminist consciousness; assessments of U.S. involvement in Persian Gulf conflict, the Perot candidacy. Vote validation was not done.
1994 1994.TN 6507 759 respondants were first interviewed in 1992. The remaining 1036 are part of a freshly drawn cross-section sample. 635 panel respondants were also intervieded in 1993. The 1795 cases constitute a nationally representative cross-section sample. 1795 2204 Securing electoral sucess for the Clinton Coalition and First-term members of Congress; content on welfare reform and health care.
1996 1996.TX 6896 1714 respondents include all respondents from the 1996 Pre-Post. About three-fourths of these (or 1316 respondents) also particpated in either the the preceding time-series studies (1994 Post-Election survey) or in the two preceding time-series studies (both the 1992 PrePost and the 1994 Post). 1714 1395 Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) content; the Congressional campaign; issue coverage; issue importance and uncertainty; the environment; social capital; media exposure; contextual data; mode of interview experiment.
1998 1998.T 2684 Mode Experiment in which cases were assigned to either telephone or face to face mode at the sample segment level. 1281 739 The Congressional Traits section (allowing comparative evaluation of the President and Congress), role of religion and religious institutions in society and politics, and items relating to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandals, and some new questions on key issues such as late-term abortions, school vouchers, foreign imports, and immigration.
2000 2000.T 3131 The sample was split by mode and selection procedure: 801 Pre Respondents were selected by RDD sampling and interviewed by phone; 1006 Pre Respondents were selected using probability area sampling and interviewed in person. (694 Post reinterviews were in person and 862 Post reinterviews were by phone.) 1807 1887 New content on social trust, social networks and cognitive style. Experiments: branching/scale format (numerous), resopnse order effects (government/private health insurance), don't know effects (numerous), balancing effects (affirmative action), voter turnout, agree/disagree format versus alternative choice format (isolationism).