Methodology

eTownPanel uses a panel of volunteers who sign up to participate in online surveys on various topics. Panelists are recruited using the Internet and other
sources, including web directory listings, Google ads, Craigslist postings, and announcements sent via email to membership lists of various nonprofit organizations in New York City and nationally that have partnered with eTownPanel over the years.

It is important to point out that the panel of respondents is not a random
sample, and so the results are not scientifically projectable to the larger
population. However, results are weighted by gender, race, age, and geography to more closely reflect the general demographic profile of the US and New York City (the focus of many of our surveys to date).

The weighting procedure involves two steps. First, weights are constructed
to bring the sample into geographic balance based on the population of Census regions. Second, this geographic weight is then applied to the data, and new weights are calculated to align the sample to the Census in terms of gender, race, and age. Most results shown in our reports are weighted results.

The following documents show the growth of the panel over time as well as the basic demographic profile of survey respondents (both unweighted and weighted).

Panel growth chart
Demographic profile

Methodology reports:

The following reports describe studies or analyses that examine the validity of eTownPanel survey results, often in comparison to established surveys using the telephone and other more traditional methods.

(Methodology reports coming soon)