Kristen Olson
@olsonkm.bsky.social
1.1K followers 1.4K following 150 posts
Survey Methodologist. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Sociology Professor. Proud director of an academic survey research organization (Bureau of Sociological Research). Former Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology Editor (2020-2024). AAPOR Devotee.
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olsonkm.bsky.social
Yes, that's a great example. Thanks! And contemporary.
olsonkm.bsky.social
Yes, it's a great example! But I'm also interested in other examples of social science (or health) research ethical problems or issues or questions that don't make the "classic" examples list....
olsonkm.bsky.social
I'm teaching a research ethics class for upper division undergraduates this semester. Looking for case study examples of ethical issues that aren't the BIG ones (e.g., Tuskegee, Milgram, Zimbardo) in a digestible form for undergrads (news articles, podcasts, videos, shorter articles).
olsonkm.bsky.social
It was an honor to speak in this memorial session for Don Dillman at #JSM25. Don's influences on the science of surveys are extraordinary. But the primary words that people use to describe him at his memorial are kind, generous, honest, humble, and welcoming - I think he did something extra right.
bradytwest.bsky.social
A word cloud of the responses!
Reposted by Kristen Olson
bradytwest.bsky.social
@olsonkm.bsky.social kicks off our session celebrating Don Dillman at #JSM2025 with a discussion of Don’s contributions to survey methodology. Thanks to @statstas.datascience.blue for setting this up! 💯
Reposted by Kristen Olson
erikamcentarfer.bsky.social
It has been the honor of my life to serve as Commissioner of BLS alongside the many dedicated civil servants tasked with measuring a vast and dynamic economy. It is vital and important work and I thank them for their service to this nation.
olsonkm.bsky.social
I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the #ESRA25 @esrasurvey.bsky.social conference last week in Utrecht. A fantastic conference all around, with great talks on data collection methods, AI, data donation, questionnaire design, and much more.
Me (Kristen Olson) standing in front of my title slide that says "From Mail Surveys to Chatbots: Changes in Survey Modes, Methods, and Data Sources Over Time" at the keynote address at the European Survey Research Association conference in Utrecht
Reposted by Kristen Olson
weedenkim.bsky.social
Good news! Release 1 of the 2024 GSS is available for download.

The 2024 GSS, like 2022, uses web, in-person, and phone modes. For some variables this can complicate analyses of trends. See documentation.

Still a prob sample & gold standard survey w/ high resp rates (by contemporary standards).
Get the Data | NORC at the University of Chicago
gss.norc.org
Reposted by Kristen Olson
conradhackett.bsky.social
If you encounter what seems like an implausible survey finding, ask:
1. Were survey respondents selected randomly or was this an opt-in poll?
2. Could the results, especially for young adults, be driven by bogus respondents?

Keep this post in mind: www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
In an experiment, Pew Research Center demonstrated that opt-in and probability-based surveys produced very different results about young adults' views of the Holocaust and abortion.
Reposted by Kristen Olson
aedwardslevy.bsky.social
everything about this is simultaneously absolutely wrong and absolutely perfect
kathleenweldon.bsky.social
A scale for the ages. How exactly is one “a little neutral”?
Survey question:


1. How would you express your attitude toward gambling la lot Springa:
(PRESENT CARD "A")

1. I am firmly and morally against it.

2. I am against it, but it's always been there.

3. I am a little neutral on this question.

4. If they want to gamble in Hot Springs I don't mind.

5. I think it is perfectly all right. I am in favor of it.
olsonkm.bsky.social
I give comments to my students of “what’s the denominator?” all the time!This level of precision matters not only for understanding the group about whom one is making inference, but also to suggest whether it’s the whole set of respondents or a subset of them (and all the errors therein).
aedwardslevy.bsky.social
A perennial tip for writing about surveys: the base population (who comprises the group that the survey question is talking about?) is SO important.

e.g. a poll finding that X% of "Americans who want to have kids" don't feel financially able to do so is totally different from "X% of all Americans"
Reposted by Kristen Olson
rnishimura.bsky.social
🚨 Call for all AAPOR board gamers! 🚨
GAMEPOR is finally officially on the conference schedule, now named "Longitudinal Leisure Study (with board games)".
Bring your favorite (and luggage friendly) board games to the conference and come join us for an epic game night! 🎲
#AAPOR @aapor.bsky.social
olsonkm.bsky.social
Looking forward to the #AAPOR25 conference next week!

I will be giving papers on visible incentives in mixed-mode surveys, mode preferences in today’s survey landscape, and using generative AI for reading level calculations of survey questions.
aapor.bsky.social
As you pack your suitcase, wait in security lines, or run into other AAPORites in the Uber line, snap a pic and share your journey to #aapor25!
Reposted by Kristen Olson
rnishimura.bsky.social
Hey data nerds, ANES 2024 Combined Pre- and Post-Election preliminary data is out now! Have fun! 🤓
Reposted by Kristen Olson
esrasurvey.bsky.social
We are thrilled that the amazing @olsonkm.bsky.social will give a keynote at #ESRA25! Title: "From Mail Surveys to Chatbots: Changes in Survey Modes, Methods, and Data Sources Over Time"! Register now for #ESRA25 & be part of the future of survey research!
olsonkm.bsky.social
We have a paper in this Special Issue of @surveypractice.bsky.social! Spanish translation of self-administered surveys in a rural are with higher concentrations of Spanish speakers yielded very few Spanish language completes, but they came from addresses w/a Hispanic surname indicator on ABS frame.
Reposted by Kristen Olson
weedenkim.bsky.social
Here are a few studies I've published using data from Dept. of Educ / IES. None were funded by DoE/IES.

Most are with Steve Morgan (often lead), Dafna Gelbgiser, and undergrad or grad students, some of whom went on to work for Dept. of Education.

1st Sue's 🧵, the inspiration for this one.
dynarski.bsky.social
Thread of my own work that has used data from Department of Education and columns that have focused on research funded by them

1/N Inequality in college graduation rates
Uses data from Education Longitudinal Study, conducted by Department of Education
www.nytimes.com/2015/06/02/u...
Reposted by Kristen Olson
dynarski.bsky.social
Thread of my own work that has used data from Department of Education and columns that have focused on research funded by them

1/N Inequality in college graduation rates
Uses data from Education Longitudinal Study, conducted by Department of Education
www.nytimes.com/2015/06/02/u...
Reposted by Kristen Olson
sscratsage.bsky.social
Over 1,000 submission to Social Science Computer Review in 2024! That's incredible. Please send us your best work! 📝 Follow this account to see the amazing work that we have published. 🏆
deanarohlinger.bsky.social
Final total for the number of manuscripts received by @sscratsage.bsky.social in 2024? 1,020. Up from 785 submissions in 2023.
Reposted by Kristen Olson
dynarski.bsky.social
FANTASTIC

ICPSR at U Mich is coordinating the archiving of at-risk federal data (all of it?)

You can upload data you have & search for data you don’t have

www.datalumos.org/datalumos/
Reposted by Kristen Olson
sgadarian.bsky.social
The American National Election Study is an NSF funded publicly available, incredibly rich dataset that tracks American public opinion, vote choice and evaluations of government that has been in the field since 1948. It is an incredible resource for teaching and research and must be protected.
erincikanek.bsky.social
🚨 The ANES is on the list, because the award description includes the study of 'racial conflict.'
The loss of the ANES would be a huge loss for public opinion, and for science.
[the full caption does not fit] "SINCE 1948, THE ANES HAS BEEN THE GOLD STANDARD FOR MEASURING PUBLIC OPINION AND UNDERSTANDING VOTING BEHAVIOR IN THE UNITED STATES. THE 2024 ANES MAINTAINS THE TRADITION OF A NONPARTISAN, SCIENTIFICALLY VALID SURVEY WHILE ADDING CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATIONS. NEW AND EXISTING QUESTIONS ON THE ANES SURVEY ALLOW RESEARCHERS TO UNDERSTAND THE SOURCES OF POLITICAL DISCONTENT, EXPLAIN MISUNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN ELECTED OFFICIALS THE PUBLIC, AND IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRIDGING THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DIVISIONS. THE 2024 ANES CONTINUES THE ANES TRADITION OF ADMINISTERING BOTH PRE- AND POST-ELECTION INTERVIEWS, PRODUCING SEVERAL NEW DATA PRODUCTS INCLUDING THE FIRST-EVER EIGHT-YEAR PANEL IN THE ANES TIME SERIES, SPANNING THE 2016, 2020, AND 2024 ELECTION CYCLES. THIS DATA SET ALLOWS RESEARCHERS TO BREAK FRESH GROUND ON TOPICS INCLUDING OPINION DYNAMICS DURING A PERIOD OF EXTREME VOLATILITY, THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION, SUPPORT FOR POLITICAL VIOLENCE, AFFECTIVE POLARIZATION, RACIAL CONFLICT, AND THREATS TO THE LEGITIMACY OF OUR ELECTORAL INSTITUTIONS. THE 2024 STUDY ALSO DELIVERS A SOCIAL MEDIA STUDY PANEL SPANNING 2020, 2022, AND 2024, PROVIDING DATA ON THE ELECTORAL CONSEQUENCES OF NEWS USE AND POLITICAL ADVERTISING ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY MERGING RESPONDENT ATTITUDES TO BEHAVIORAL DATA. ONGOING COLLABORATIONS WITH GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY AND THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ELECTORAL SYSTEMS YIELD NEW DATASETS OF INTEREST TO SCHOLARS IN SOCIOLOGY, ECONOMICS, POLITICAL COMMUNICATION, COMPARATIVE POLITICS, AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS INCLUDE A NON-RESPONSE FOLLOW-UP STUDY, NEW INSTRUMENTATION PROBING CRITICAL THREATS TO DEMOCRACY, VIDEO INTERVIEWING, AND THE USE OF A MIXED-MODE DESIGN TO YIELD FURTHER INSIGHTS ABOUT SURVEY MODE EFFECTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.
Reposted by Kristen Olson
cedr.bsky.social
I do think we should have discussions about how to do education research that is cost effective, but the implicit suggestion that the ED activities are wasteful/fraud is just wrong. Read on if you want concrete examples.

Inexplicable Cuts at the Dept. of Education open.substack.com/pub/goodscie...
Inexplicable Cuts at the Dept. of Education
Recently, DOGE has bragged about terminating 89 contracts worth a collective $881 million at the Institute for Education Sciences at the US Department of Education.
open.substack.com
Reposted by Kristen Olson
aedwardslevy.bsky.social
Cool job alert:
kathleenweldon.bsky.social
Roper is hiring!
A great opportunity for someone who likes data and wants to learn the ins and outs of cleaning, curation, de-identification, transparency requirements in polling while working with an amazing collection of historical data.
cornell.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Cornel...
Data Curator
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research seeks a Data Curator to join its innovative archiving team that ensures the largest collection of polling data in the world will be preserved and made acce...
cornell.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com