© The contents of this finding aid are the copyright of the University of Chicago Library
© 2014 University of Chicago Library
The collection is open for research, with the exception of material in Series VIII. This series contains restricted Executive Council and Standards Committee records. Series VIII as a whole will be fully open in 2030.
Series VI, Audiovisual, does not include access copies for the audio and video recordings. Researchers will need to consult with staff before requesting these items.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: American Association for Public Opinion Research. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.
The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) was founded in 1947 as a professional society of individuals engaged or interested in public opinion research and its allied fields. The genesis of the Association was a conference of public opinion research experts held in Central City, Colorado in the summer of 1946. The conference was convened by Harry H. Field, director of the National Opinion Research Center. The goal of the conference, as stated in the proceedings, was "to discuss problems common to all research organizations, and 'to sharpen the tools in the workshop of democracy.'"
A second conference was planned for September 1947 in Williamstown, Massachusetts on the campus of Williams College. It was here, on September 4, 1947, that two organizations were formalized: AAPOR and the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR). Public Opinion Quarterly became the Association's official journal in 1948.
Today, AAPOR's mission statement includes the following objectives:
• Educate policy makers, the media and the public at large to help them make better use of surveys and survey findings;
• Educate practitioners on new developments affecting our field;
• Advocate the highest standards of ethical conduct for survey and opinion research;
• Encourage and disseminate research and innovations that improve our methods;
• Encourage and disseminate systematic analyses of public opinion on the major issues of the day;
• Promote best practices in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting survey data;
• Provide opportunities for our members to exchange views and promote the values of our organization; and
• Act as an advocate for survey and opinion research and its practitioners.
AAPOR is governed by an Executive Council elected by the full membership each year. Throughout its history, administrative activities have also been carried out by a fluctuating number of committees and task forces, among them the Standards Committee which oversees AAPOR's Code of Professional Ethics and Practices. Additionally, the Association has seven regional chapters in the United States.
The American Association for Public Opinion Research records are organized into 8 series:
Series I: Administration
Subseries 1: Central Administration
Subseries 2: Executive Council
Subseries 3: Communication
Subseries 4: Finance
Subseries 5: Membership
Subseries 6: Standards
Subseries 7: Archives Committee
Subseries 8: Ad-Hoc Committees
Subseries 9: Chapters
Series II: Conference
Series III: Publications
Series IV: Awards
Series V: Affiliations
Series VI: Audiovisual
Series VII: Oversize
Series VIII: Restricted
The collection contains administrative correspondence, memoranda, meeting materials, by-laws, reports, directories, newsletters, publications, photographs, audio cassettes, video tapes, and other documents representing the activities of AAPOR. Materials date between 1946 and 2010, with the bulk of the material dating from 1960 to 2000. The records primarily document the administrative functions of AAPOR, its annual conference, and publications. Detailed series descriptions are found at the beginning of each series in the inventory section of the guide.
The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections:
This series is divided into 9 subseries:
Subseries 1, Central Administration, contains AAPOR's constitution, certificate of incorporation, and by-laws, records produced by AAPOR's secretariat, and general administrative correspondence. Materials date from 1957 to 2004, and are arranged by type of material, then chronologically.
Subseries 2, Executive Council, contains correspondence, memoranda, meeting materials, reports, Council member lists, election materials, and other records pertaining to the business of AAPOR's chief governing body. Materials date from 1947 to 2005, and are broken into three sub-subseries: General, Meetings, and Correspondence. Sub-subseries 1, General, contains Council member lists and election materials, as well as a mix of miscellaneous correspondence, meeting materials, and reports. Sub-subseries 2, Meetings, contains meeting agendas, minutes, handouts, and reports arranged chronologically. Sub-subseries 3, Correspondence and memoranda, begins with general Council correspondence, followed by correspondence related to specific Council positions.
Subseries 3, Communication, includes brochures, member-wide mailings, and newsletters. Materials date from 1969 to 2001, and are arranged alphabetically by type of material, then chronologically.
Subseries 4, Finance, contains financial records of AAPOR. Materials date between 1952 and 2005, and include correspondence and memoranda, statements, receipt and deposit records, and budgets.
Subseries 5, Membership, contains records related to AAPOR's membership activities, including records of the Membership and Chapter Relations Committee; administration of membership applications and dues; general membership inquiries to AAPOR's secretariat; member surveys; production and annual editions of the Directory of Members; and chapter reports, correspondence, programs, and events. Materials date from 1955 to 2005, and are arranged chronologically with editions of the Directory of Members grouped at the end.
Subseries 6, Standards, contains records pertaining to the professional public opinion research standards, ethics, and practices developed and advocated by AAPOR. The series begins with material relevant to the business of AAPOR's Standards Committee and related subcommittees. This is followed by standards-related files arranged alphabetically by subject. Topics include AAPOR's Code of Professional Ethics and Practices, and survey confidentiality, legislation, and validation. Materials date from 1952 to 2004, with the bulk dating from the late 1960s to early 1980s.
Subseries 7, Archives Committee, contains records of the Archives Committee, and other AAPOR history committees. Materials date between 1966 and 1993, and include correspondence and memoranda, reports, and oral history transcripts.
Subseries 8, Ad-Hoc Committees, contains records of AAPOR's ad hoc committees, subcommittees, and task forces, arranged alphabetically by committee name.
Subseries 9, Chapters, contains correspondence, reports, publicity for programs and events, and other materials relevant to AAPOR's regional chapters. Materials date from 1975 to 1993, and are in rough chronological order.
This series contains documents related to AAPOR's annual conference, including programs, correspondence and memoranda, reports, mailings, brochures, and other records generated in the course of planning and executing the event. Materials date from 1946 to 2004, and are arranged chronologically. A small amount of miscellaneous conference material is at the end of the series (folders x through x), including correspondence of the site selection chair.
This series contains records of AAPOR's publications including Agencies and Organizations Represented in AAPOR Membership (referred to as the "Blue Book"), Careers in Survey Research and Public Opinion Research, and Public Opinion Quarterly. Records of the Publications and Information Committee are also found here. Materials date from 1948 to 2003, and are arranged alphabetically by title or topic, then chronologically.
This series contains records of awards issued by AAPOR, including the AAPOR Award which is the Association's lifetime achievement award, the AAPOR Book Award, the AAPOR Policy Impact Award, the Warren J. Mitofsky Innovators Award, the Roper fellowship, and student paper awards. Materials are arranged alphabetically by award name, then chronologically.
This series contains records of AAPOR's affiliations with organizations such as the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA), the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS), the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, and the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR). Materials are organized alphabetically by organization name, then chronologically.
This series contains photographs, audio cassette tapes, VHS cassette tapes, DVCAM tapes, one Betacam SP tape, and one DVD. The photographs are mainly of AAPOR meetings and conferences, or images used for newsletters. A few photographs of past presidents are included. The audio and video recordings are predominately oral history interviews. Access copies for audio and video recordings in this series are not included. Researchers will need to consult with staff before requesting these items.
This series contains oversize material. This includes a scrapbook for a 1946 conference held in Central City, Colorado which led to the founding of the Association.
This series contains closed to research for a period of 20 years from date of creation. The series will be fully open in 2030.