1988 Time Series Study
About the Dataset
- Time Series Study
- Includes: vote validation
- Completions: 2,040 pre-election; 1,775 post-election
- Sample: all fresh cross-section
- Modes used: face-to-face
- Weights: (none)
- Auxiliary files: nonresponse ‘bias’ file
Study Content Highlights
In addition to content on electoral participation, voting behavior, and public opinion, the ANES 1988 contains questions in other areas such as media attention and group closeness. Special-interest and topical content includes a new question on the death-penalty, a new health insurance 7-point scale, questions on the respondent’s vote in the presidential primary and presidential-primary candidate evaluations, new system support and political efficacy items, and a substantial Reagan retrospective battery.
Study Design Highlights
The ANES 1988 was designed to feature a number of experiments. To implement the experiments in question ordering and question wording, and to reduce the overall length of the interview, respondents were randomly assigned to 2 versions or ‘forms’ of the questionnaire. Experimental versions of questions were administered to half-samples, and alternate halves of the lengthy Reagan retrospective were split between Pre and Post, through the form assignments. Probes used by interviewers were coded for a subset of specific questions.
Beginning September 6, interviews were conducted prior to the November 8 elections using a pre-election instrument averaging 68 minutes. Post-election interviews that averaged 60 minutes were administered November 9,1988-January 24, 1989. The sample included 2,893 eligible persons, among whom 2,040 completed pre-election interviews, and 1,775 were subsequently re-interviewed in the post.
Weights Summary
There are two sets of sample weights. The first set of weights is centered at a mean of 1.0; these are variable V080101 (pre-election) and V080102 (Post-election). The second set of weights represent population V080101a (pre-election) and V080102 (Post-election). The pre-election sample weights are the product of the household non-response adjustment factor by age and education. The post-election sample weights are adjusted for attrition.
Auxilary Files Description
The 1988 Nonresponse or ‘Bias’ File includes variables from the Interviewer Description Booklet, which describes attempts at contact with each household and with the designated R. Sampling, interviewer, and field administration variables are also present for the full sample.