The contractor will carry out a national opinion survey to measure the attitudes of the U.S. adult public toward science and technology. Data will be collected by telephone during the summer of 1990 using a multistage probability sample of about 2,000 respondents. Some questions will continue data series previously collected for NSF, while others will introduce new topical areas. Some questions will also be designed to be used in conjunction with similar surveys in other countries. NSF has been collecting data in this area since 1972. The data have been used primarily in the biennial series Science and Engineering Indicators, though research papers have also appeared. These materials have provided valuable insights into public thinking about science and technology issues, and thereby have helped inform discussions of such issues.
