Long-running surveys need a systematic way to reflect social change and to keep items relevant to respondents, especially when they ask about controversial subjects, or they threaten the items' validity. We propose a protocol for updating measures that preserves content and construct validity. First, substantive experts articulate the current and…

This article describes the findings of a qualitative study on knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and practices towards children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus in four regions of Uganda. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were held with parents of children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, policy-makers, and service…

Social institutions that have been around for thousands of years generally change slowly, when they change at all. But that's not the way things have been playing out with marriage and family since the middle of the 20th Century. Some scholars argue that in the past five decades, the basic architecture of these age-old institutions has changed as…

This report is a summary of the results of annual Gallup Polls of the Public's Attitude Toward the Public Schools of the United States for the years 1969 through 1983. A full report of the 1984 poll is included. The items have been arranged topically so that the user can identify and follow trends more readily. Some questions have been asked…

Year-round education is an idea that has been successfully implemented in many schools located in the western United States. This paper presents findings of a study that explored public opinion toward year-round education in a portion of the midwestern states. A total of 30 individuals living in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan…

In March 1987, a telephone survey was conducted of a cross-section of 800 adult citizens in Michigan to determine their opinions about Michigan's public community colleges. The survey gathered information on the importance of a college education, reasons for attending college, schools best suited for a particular type of training or education,…

In May 1989, a telephone survey was conducted of a random sample of 800 adults in Michigan to assess public opinion toward Michigan's community and junior colleges. Study findings included the following: (1) 88% of the respondents felt that a college education was "very important"; (2) if Michigan adults were to go back to school, the…

A study examined the relationship between social and material values and attitudes toward television advertising. Using the Rokeach Value Survey Form E, 157 Canadian college students ranked the 18 terminal and 18 instrumental values in order of their importance as guiding principles for life. The values were classified as either material, social,…

This document reports on the results of five surveys conducted during the 1980s by the Field Institute and Los Angeles Times that included questions of particular interest to the Latino community. Between 1982 and 1989, 6,668 California residents participated in the 5 surveys. Surveys included questions addressing the impact of Latino immigration…