AAPOR will consider papers in any field related to the study of public opinion, broadly defined, or to the theory and methods of survey research, including statistical techniques used in such research. Paper topics might include: methodological issues in surveys; public opinion or market research; theoretical issues in the formation, quality, or change in public opinion; or substantive findings about public opinion. The competition committee encourages submissions that deal with the annual conference; the call for papers is posted on the website in the fall.

Entries typically are 15-25 pages in length. A prize of $500 will be awarded to the winning paper at the conference and the author(s) of the paper will deliver it as a part of the conference program. For a winning paper with one author, AAPOR will pay for the author’s travel expenses to and from the conference. However, for a winning submission with multiple authors, AAPOR will pay only for the primary author (or his/her designee, who must be a co-author) to present the paper. Other papers may receive an Honorable Mention designation.

All authors must be current students (graduate or undergraduate) at the time of the submission, or must have received their degree during the preceding calendar year. The research must have been substantially completed while all authors were enrolled in a degree program. AAPOR will give preference to papers based on research not presented elsewhere.

A panel of public opinion researchers from AAPOR’s membership – drawn from academic, government, and commercial sectors – will judge the papers. 

 Detailed information on submitting nominations is posted in November.