Key facts
- Reuters/Ipsos polls U.S. public opinion on various political, business, and social topics.
- The polls utilize Ipsos's 'KnowledgePanel,' a representative sample of Americans aged 18 and over, polled online.
- Data is weighted to align with U.S. Census data and partisan self-identification.
- Large polls of at least 4,000 respondents have a margin of error of approximately 2 percentage points.
- Smaller polls, typically of 1,000 people, have a margin of error of about 3 percentage points.
Reuters/Ipsos conducts national U.S. public opinion polls on a range of political, business, and social subjects, including presidential approval ratings and congressional party preference. These polls aim to capture a snapshot of national sentiment at a specific moment by surveying a representative sample of the U.S. population.
The polls are conducted using Ipsos's 'KnowledgePanel,' which includes Americans aged 18 and over. Participants are selected via a postal address-based sampling method and polled online. Those without internet access are provided with free internet service and a laptop. The collected data is then weighted to reflect U.S. Census data across various demographics such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, education, household income, and region. Political composition is also considered, using partisan self-identification benchmarks or self-reported voting choices.
Reuters/Ipsos conducts large-scale polls of at least 4,000 respondents approximately six times a year, taking about a week to complete. These comprehensive polls typically have a margin of error of around 2 percentage points for the full sample. Throughout the year, at least 24 smaller polls, often focusing on presidential approval, are conducted with at least 1,000 people over a few days, carrying a margin of error of about 3 percentage points.
A margin of error quantifies the potential variation between poll findings and the results if the entire population were surveyed. Generic ballot polls specifically assess which party respondents wish to control Congress, though they do not account for the district-specific nature of U.S. elections, particularly the impact of gerrymandering on House races. The article also explains the distinction between registered voters and likely voters, noting that pollsters use models to identify likely voters based on factors like enthusiasm and past voting behavior, acknowledging these models can have predictive limitations.