The answers to questions on a wide variety of social and political issues from more than 25, 000 respondents are contained in the General Social Survey (GSS) data base. The authors, who have directed the GSS since its inception, have set out to enable social scientists to exploit this large data set more effectively.

The book outlines such topics as the recurrent, replicated `core' items suitable for trend analyses, the annual topical modules on subjects of current interest and the international modules produced in collaboration with the International Social Survey Programme.