What is public opinion research?

The following explanation is taken from the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, dated August 1, 2006.

Public opinion research is the planned gathering, by or for a government institution, for any government purpose, of: opinions; attitudes; perceptions; judgements; feelings; ideas; reactions or; views.

Public opinion research helps the government to better understand Canadian society and to identify citizens' needs and expectations. It is used, among other applications, to:

• assess the public's response to proposals or to possible changes or initiatives;
• assess the effectiveness of policies, programs and services;
• measure progress in service improvement;
• evaluate the effectiveness of communication activities such as advertising; and
• plan and evaluate marketing initiatives.

Collection of the information listed above constitutes public opinion research:

• whether that information is collected from persons (including employees of government institutions), businesses, institutions or other entities;
• whether that information is collected through quantitative or qualitative methods; and
• irrespective of size or cost.

The information gathering may be associated with a broad range of activities. These may include, for example:

• policy research;
• market research;
• communications research;
• communication strategies and advertising research;
• program evaluation;
• quality of service/customer satisfaction studies;
• omnibus surveys, with the placement of one or more questions;
• syndicated studies; and
• product development.

The following research and/or methods for obtaining opinions and/or advice are not considered to be opinion research:

• literature reviews or reviews of secondary sources, including reviews of previously conducted public opinion research;
• secondary analysis of previously collected public opinion research data; and
• verification of performance of services or delivery of goods in contract situations.

In keeping with the principles of a non-partisan public service, institutions may not issue contracts or expend public funds for research on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, or party standings with the electorate.