Survey Methods for Public Opinion Research

The course is structured around three key pillars: Survey Methodology, Measurement in the Social Sciences, and Public Opinion Research. In particular, survey methodology is presented both as a scientific field, devoted to understanding and improving the production of survey-based evidence, and as a professional practice, concerned with the design, implementation, and management of high-quality surveys. The course aims to prepare students for both dimensions, providing the methodological foundations required for academic research as well as the practical competences needed in professional survey organizations and research agencies.
The intellectual backbone of the course is the concept of measurement in the social sciences. By placing measurement at the centre of survey research, the course explores how theoretical concepts are translated into empirical indicators, how measurement instruments are designed and validated, and how measurement choices shape the interpretation of survey-based evidence.
The course also presents survey research as a rapidly evolving field. Particular attention is devoted to methodological innovation, including online probability panels, survey experiments, adaptive survey design, and the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence into survey practice.
Finally, the course highlights the growing importance of survey research infrastructures in contemporary social science. Students are introduced to the role of large international comparative programmes, such as the European Social Survey (ESS), the European and World Values Studies (EVS/WVS), and the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), as fundamental resources for the production, dissemination, and secondary analysis of high-quality survey data.

By the end of the course, students will have acquired the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to understand, design, implement, and critically evaluate survey research in both academic and professional settings.
Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the Data Production Process in Survey Research, from the formulation of a research question to the construction, documentation, and dissemination of a high-quality dataset. They will become familiar with all major stages of the process, including conceptualization, questionnaire design, sampling, interviewing, data management, documentation, and archiving.
Using survey data available for secondary analysis, students will develop a rigorous understanding of measurement in the social sciences. They will learn how theoretical concepts are translated into empirical indicators, how measurement instruments are constructed and validated, and how issues of dimensionality, reliability, and validity influence the quality and interpretation of survey data.
These methodological skills will be applied to the study of public opinion, with particular attention to social and political attitudes, electoral behaviour, and contemporary societal issues. Students will also become familiar with the major international survey infrastructures and data sources used in comparative social and political research.
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to manage the entire survey research process, from conceptualization to empirical analysis, and to interact effectively with research agencies, survey organizations, and multidisciplinary research teams. More broadly, they will acquire the methodological skills necessary to produce, evaluate, and responsibly use survey-based evidence in scientific, policy, and professional contexts.