Making Opinion Data Accessible: The Story of NORC's GSS Data Explorer
Dan Gaylin
President & Chief Executive Officer
This post is part of a series of articles originally published by Dan Gaylin on LinkedIn. Follow Dan on LinkedIn.
December 2024
The path to better decision-making begins with access to good data.
At NORC at the University of Chicago, we believe one of the most effective ways to foster a data-savvy society is to make trustworthy data accessible to everyone. That’s why we’ve transformed how people can access and analyze one of America’s most informative national datasets.
The General Social Survey (GSS), founded by NORC and funded by the National Science Foundation, has become the second-most cited dataset in the U.S. after the Census. Since 1972, this biennial survey has tracked shifts in Americans’ behavior and attitudes on dozens of fascinating subjects, including faith, government, education, health care, civil rights, and the economy.
“The GSS has become the second-most cited dataset in the U.S. after the Census.”
However, while small extracts of GSS data were used in classrooms and cited in major news publications, the structure and format of the datasets made it difficult for anyone but academic researchers with advanced data analysis skills to explore the full richness of the data. As NORC senior fellow Felicia LeClere noted, the data were “murky and hard to use, with data availability problems across its multi-year time frame.”
That needed to change. Under LeClere’s leadership, we developed a comprehensive set of online tools to make the GSS available to the widest possible range of users—including journalists, undergraduate and high school teachers and their students. When it went live in 2022, the updated GSS Data Explorer sparked immediate interest, receiving over half a million hits in its first week alone.
Today’s GSS Data Explorer can be seamlessly integrated into the workflow of researchers while also providing more intuitive methods for analysts with varying skill levels to use the data. Users can conduct basic analyses directly on the site or download datasets for more advanced work. With new tools, anyone can create accurate and understandable charts that illustrate how Americans’ perspectives have evolved over the last five decades.
The Explorer’s power lies in its ability to help uncover meaningful patterns in our society’s history.
- Want to understand how views on gun ownership vary by education level?
- Curious about different age groups’ changing attitudes toward same-sex relationships?
- Interested in how perspectives on the death penalty differ by race, or how men’s and women’s views on working mothers have shifted?
The Explorer makes it easier to observe these patterns but is always accompanied by transparent technical details about methodology and question wording.
This democratization of data access represents something far more significant than convenience—it’s about building the foundation for a more informed and data-savvy society. Just as our nation’s physical infrastructure of highways and airports helps people and goods move efficiently, our public data infrastructure enables the free flow of knowledge and insights that drive better decisions.
The GSS Explorer exemplifies how thoughtful design, and technology can transform complex government-funded data into a public resource that serves everyone, from policymakers crafting legislation to citizens engaging in local debates.
As I explore in my upcoming book, Fact Forward, this kind of accessible public data infrastructure is essential for evidence-based decision-making and meaningful civic engagement. When we make high-quality data readily available and understandable, we build trust and strengthen our collective ability to address society’s most pressing challenges.
“When we make high-quality data readily available and understandable, we build trust and strengthen our collective ability to address society's most pressing challenges.”
At NORC, we believe that data should illuminate rather than intimidate. This belief drives our commitment to creating tools that transform complex datasets into accessible insights for everyone. The GSS Data Explorer represents just one example of how we’re working to ensure that high-quality social science data can inform discussions and decisions at every level of society—from students understanding social trends for the first time to policymakers shaping our nation’s future.
As we continue building and strengthening our public data infrastructure, tools like the GSS Explorer show us what’s possible when we make valuable data truly accessible. What trends in American society would you like to explore? Visit gssdataexplorer.norc.org to begin your journey through five decades of social science data and join us in creating a more data-informed future.
