New Guidelines for Public Opinion Research

The Market Research Society (MRS) in the UK has recently announced the launch of new draft guidelines on public opinion research - one of the most sensitive areas of market research.

One of the most important issues which the Guidelines address is transparency. Public opinion research - the study of people's attitudes and beliefs about political, social and other related issues - frequently tackles sensitive topics, ranging from political proposals and social concerns to ethical issues, such as fox hunting and GM foods.

Commented Debrah Harding, Director, Standards and Policy at The MRS, 'These new guidelines will work in conjunction with The MRS Code of Conduct to provide a robust framework for our members who conduct public opinion research. All MRS members are subject to the strict Code of Conduct, but we considered that it may be helpful to provide extra guidance for public opinion researchers whose work often deals with highly sensitive political and ethical issues, the findings of which are often open to public scrutiny.'

The new Public Opinion Research Guidelines cover key areas including sample bias, questionnaire design, analysis and reporting of results plus responsibilities of researchers. Essentially, they are intended for everyone involved in this field from full service, field and tab researchers to clients, including political parties, pressure groups, PR consultants, charities and local councils.

Debrah Harding concluded by noting, 'The MRS is continually striving to improve professional standards within the profession and the development of new guidelines is just one element of this drive.'

Copies of the new Public Opinion Research Guidelines are available on The MRS website which can be found at: www.mrs.org.uk.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.