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Development of the survey began in 2017 with a thorough review of similar surveys in the arts and culture sector, a series of preliminary surveys using Amazon Mechanical Turk, and consultations with stakeholders in the field. A preliminary version of the survey instrument was tested in a series of cognitive interviews administered by NORC at the University of Chicago in spring 2018. These interviews tested the viability of survey items, probing for the underlying assumptions respondents brought to specific terms and any difficulty they had in interpreting the questions in the intended manner. NORC staff concluded that the instrument performed well and, with only a few minor revisions, would elicit valid responses.

The survey sample was a subset of NORC’s AmeriSpeak (), a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the US household population. The panel is built around an ongoing set of relationships with 30,000 households, which helps ensure: (1) an adequate response rate; and (2) a shorter survey (as most of the desired demographic data has already been collected), which prevents respondent fatigue and related decline in response quality. AmeriSpeak staff worked with Humanities Indicators personnel to shape a final survey instrument that could be administered online, on the phone, or (if needed) in person to assure a representative respondent pool. NORC also translated the survey instrument into Spanish to assure that members of the nation’s largest non-English-speaking population could also complete the survey.

The survey instrument was pretested at the end of October 2019 and administered from November 14 to November 25, 2019. In total, NORC collected 5,015 responses, 4,732 by web mode and 283 by phone mode (with 109 respondents taking the survey in Spanish). The survey completion rate was 27%.

NORC then cleaned and prepared a data file of respondent survey and demographic data, including the weights necessary to generate nationally representative estimates of engagement and opinion levels. For additional details on the sampling design and composition, survey administration, and response rates, please visit the Humanities Indicators website at .

Consultations in Advance of the Survey

The following stakeholders were consulted as part of the questionnaire development process. Indicators staff were responsible for the final selection and arrangement of all questions.

• Phillip Bahar, Chicago Humanities Festival
• Eva Caldera, Phi Beta Kappa
• John Paul Christy, American Council of Learned Societies
• John Dichtl, American Association for State and Local History
• Amy Ferrer, American Philosophical Association
• James Grossman, American Historical Association
• Christine Henseler, 4Humanities / Union College
• Sunil Iyengar, National Endowment for the Arts
• Stephen Kidd, National Humanities Alliance
• Paula Krebs, Modern Language Association
• David Laurence, Modern Language Association
• Elise Lipkowitz, National Science Board
• Alan Liu, 4Humanities / University of California, Santa Barbara
• Elizabeth Lynn, Center for Civic Reflection
• Esther Mackintosh, Federation of State Humanities Councils
• Jane McAuliffe, Library of Congress
• Hunter O’Hanian, College Art Association
• Valerie Paley, New York Historical Society
• Lynn Pasquerella, Association of American Colleges & Universities
• William Rivers, Joint National Committee for Languages / National Council for Languages and International Studies
• Kathy Rosa, American Library Association
• Judith Tanur, Stony Brook University
• Jeff Thomas, National Endowment for the Humanities
• Steven Wheatley, American Council of Learned Societies
• Ann Wise, Phi Beta Kappa

Consultations Following the Survey

Following the administration of the survey, the following stakeholders were asked to provide input as to the types of analysis and reporting that would be of greatest value to the field.

• Nicholas Allen, University of Georgia
• Catherine Allgor, Massachusetts Historical Society
• Vyta Baselice, Federation of State Humanities Councils
• Yota Batsaki, Dumbarton Oaks
• Carin Berkowitz, New Jersey Council for the Humanities
• Kristen Boudreau, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Brian Boyles, Mass Humanities
• Jack Buckley, American Institutes for Research
• Alison Chang, College Art Association
• Christina Chia, John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute
• Jonathan R. Cole, Columbia University
• John Dichtl, American Association for State and Local History
• Ellen Dunlap, American Antiquarian Society
• Jessica Feldman, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
• Amy Ferrer, American Philosophical Association
• Daniel Fisher, National Humanities Alliance
• Maryrose Flanigan, a2ru
• Matthew Gibson, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
• Kimberly Gilmore, History Channel
• Jim Grossman, American Historical Association
• Beatrice Gurwitz, National Humanities Alliance
• Sara Guyer, Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes / University of Wisconsin
• Dianne Harris, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
• Christine Henseler, 4Humanities / Union College
• Cecily Hill, National Humanities Alliance
• Michael Hout, New York University
• Sunil Iyengar, National Endowment for the Arts
• David Kidd, Democratic Knowledge Project
• Stephen Kidd, National Humanities Alliance
• Heather Kim, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
• Jim Kitterman, Maryland Humanities
• Gavin Kleespies, Massachusetts Historical Society
• Paula Krebs, Modern Language Association
• Modupe Labode, The Smithsonian Institution
• Lori Lefkovitz, Northeastern University
• Felice J. Levine, American Educational Research Association
• Dennis Looney, Modern Language Association
• Esther Mackintosh, Federation of State Humanities Councils
• Teresa Mangum, Obermann Center for Advanced Studies / University of Iowa
• Barbara Mennel, Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere / University of Florida
• Jess Miner, Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics
• Scott Muir, National Humanities Alliance
• Julie Mulvihill, Humanities Kansas
• Melissa Nobles, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Diane O’Donoghue, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life (Tufts University) / Brown University
• Sara Ogger, Humanities New York
• Koby Oppenheim, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
• Valerie Paley, New York Historical Society
• Lynn Pasquerella, Association of American Colleges & Universities
• James Pawelski, University of Pennsylvania
• Daniel Reid, Whiting Foundation
• Miranda Restovic, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
• Jason Rhody, Social Science Research Council
• William Rivers, Joint National Committee for Languages / National Council for Languages and International Studies
• Tom Rudin, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
• Dana Schaffer, American Historical Association
• James Shulman, American Council of Learned Societies
• Shannon Smith, Wyoming Humanities
• Susan Smulyan, Center for Public Humanities / Brown University
• Camilla Somers, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
• Judith Tanur, Stony Brook University
• Eric Waggoner, West Virginia Humanities Council
• Steve Wheatley, American Council of Learned Societies
• Ann Wise, Phi Beta Kappa

Would you like to take this survey in English or Spanish?

1. English
2. Spanish

This survey is about activities that people engage in at work or in their everyday lives and subjects they may have studied at school. It covers a wide range of activities, many of which you may not do often or at all. The first section asks about things you may do outside of school or work.

1. Thinking now about some of the things you do in your personal life, how often did you engage in the following activities over the past 12 months?

1. Visited an art museum, art festival, or art appreciation event
2. Visited a history museum or historic site
3. Attended a literary reading or other literary event (including poetry readings)
4. Listened to a podcast, radio show, or TED talk on art, history, literature, philosophy, or world religions
5. Watched a show with historical content (on TV channels such as the History Channel and PBS, or on YouTube or other media)
6. Watched a show on art, literature, philosophy, or world religions
7. Thought about or researched further the ethical aspects of a choice in your life
8. Used a language other than English in the home or with friends

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very often
2. Often
3. Sometimes
4. Rarely
5. Never

2. Thinking specifically about book-related activities, how often did you engage in the following activities over the past 12 months?

1. Read a fiction book (such as a novel or collection of short stories) in any format
2. Read a nonfiction book (such as a biography, history, or analysis of any aspect of culture or religion) in any format
3. Listened to an audiobook
4. Participated in a book club or play reading group
5. Engaged in religious text study (of the Bible, Torah, Quran, etc.) in either an individual or group setting

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. 1. Very often
2. 2. Often
3. 3. Sometimes
4. 4. Rarely
5. 5. Never

3. Over the past 12 months, have you accessed social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, blogs, etc.)?

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes
2. No

4. Now thinking about some of the things you do on your smartphone, computer, or other device, how often did you engage in the following activities over the past 12 months?

1. Written a comment of a paragraph or longer about art, history, literature, philosophy, or world religions on social media or another online site (including Facebook, Tumblr, blog, Reddit, etc.)
2. Shared an article, video, or other digital content about art, history, literature, philosophy, or world religions on social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube)
3. Looked up information about a famous philosopher, writer, historian, artist, or musician, to gain a deeper understanding of him/her
4. Looked up information about art, history, literature, or philosophy, to gain a deeper understanding of the subject
5. Researched the history of something of interest in your life (for example your family or neighborhood history, or the history of a sports team, artist, or musician)
6. Sought information about a religion or culture that is different from your own

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very often
2. Often
3. Sometimes
4. Rarely
5. Never

5. In the past 12 months, have you taken a course in history, literature, philosophy, or a language other than English (either online or in a classroom)?

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes
2. No

6. This question focuses on when you were growing up, that is before you turned 18 years old.

How often do you recall seeing your parents or other adults doing the following activities?

1. Reading
2. Writing a paragraph or more of text
3. Discussing your family’s history
4. Discussing the history of the nation or world
5. Discussing art
6. Discussing ethical issues

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very often
2. Often
3. Sometimes
4. Rarely
5. Never

Again, focusing on the time when you were growing up before you turned 18 years of age.

7. How often do you recall participating with your parents or other adults doing the following activities?

1. Reading
2. Writing a paragraph or more of text
3. Discussing your family’s history
4. Discussing the history of the nation or world
5. Discussing art
6. Discussing ethical issues

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very often
2. Often
3. Sometimes
4. Rarely
5. Never

8. Do you presently or did you previously hold a job that earned a wage or salary?

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes
2. No

9. When it comes to your current or most recent job, how often do (or did) you perform the following tasks:

1. Write to describe or explain something
2. Write to persuade someone
3. Use a language other than English
4. Engage in concentrated reading of materials (in print or online) for more than 20 minutes at a time
5. Work with people from different cultures
6. Balance opposing viewpoints in a discussion, argument, or decision
7. Do historical research or apply a historical perspective to your work

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very often
2. Often
3. Sometimes
4. Rarely
5. Never

10. To what extent are (or were) you limited in career advancement at your job by your ability to perform the following tasks?

1. Write to describe or explain something
2. Write to persuade someone
3. Read technical material related to the job
4. Use a language other than English
5. Understand other cultures and perspectives
6. Do historical research or apply a historical perspective to your work

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very limited
2. Somewhat limited
3. Only a little limited
4. Not at all limited
5. Was not necessary for the job

11. In general, how important do you think it for K–12 students to receive an education in the following subjects?

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Literature
4. American History
5. Languages other than English
6. Art history or art appreciation
7. Logic
8. Ethics
9. World history and cultures
10. Differences in religious thought

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very important
2. Important
3. Somewhat important
4. Just a little important
5. Not at all important

12. Where do think is the best place for a child to learn about the following subjects?

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Literature
4. American History
5. Languages other than English
6. Art history and art appreciation
7. Logic
8. Ethics
9. World history and cultures
10. Differences in religious thought

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. In school
2. Outside of school (home, church, or community)
3. Both

13. At what school level should children begin to learn about each subject?

1. [SHOW IF Q12A=1/3] Reading
2. [SHOW IF Q12B=1/3] Writing
3. [SHOW IF Q12C=1/3] Literature
4. [SHOW IF Q12D=1/3] American History
5. [SHOW IF Q12E=1/3] Languages other than English
6. [SHOW IF Q12F=1/3] Art history and art appreciation
7. [SHOW IF Q12G=1/3] Logic
8. [SHOW IF Q12H=1/3] Ethics
9. [SHOW IF Q12I=1/3] World history and cultures
10. [SHOW IF Q12J=1/3] Differences in religious thought

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Elementary school
2. Middle school
3. High school
4. College

In the previous questions, we asked about a range of activities that are often described as “the humanities.” This includes studying or participating in activities related to literature, languages, history, and philosophy. Please keep this definition in mind as you answer the questions that follow.

14. Please tell us whether you agree or disagree with the following statements.

Remember, when we use the word “humanities” here, we mean studying or participating in activities related to literature, languages, history, and philosophy.

The “humanities”…

1. Should be an important part of every American’s education
2. Attract people who are somewhat elitist or pretentious
3. Make for a more meaningful and happy life
4. Are a waste of time
5. Help Americans work more effectively and creatively
6. Activities cost too much
7. Activities and discussions are a great way of spending time with friends and family
8. Are important for strengthening American democracy
9. Help me feel part of my local community
10. Help Americans understand others whose lives are different from their own
11. Are not really for people like me
12. Help Americans appreciate cultural diversity
13. Undermine the values of my community
14. Make the economy stronger
15. Help people think more clearly
16. Help children and adolescents develop the skills they need in life

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Strongly agree
2. Somewhat agree
3. Somewhat disagree
4. Strongly disagree

15. Looking back on your own education, which of these subjects do you wish you had taken more of?

Select all that apply.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Literature
2. American History
3. Languages other than English
4. Philosophy
5. Gender studies
6. Art history and appreciation
7. Ethnic studies
8. World history
9. Computer science
10. Science (including biology, chemistry, physics)
11. Math and statistics
12. Creative and performing arts
13. Physical education
14. Business
15. Social and behavioral sciences (including economics, political science, psychology, and sociology)
16. None of the above

16. Please tell us your impression when you hear someone use the following terms

1. History
2. Engineering
3. Literature
4. Math
5. The humanities
6. Science
7. The arts
8. Foreign languages
9. Statistics
10. Philosophy

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Very favorable
2. Somewhat favorable
3. Somewhat unfavorable
4. Very unfavorable

17. What was the field of your undergraduate degree?

If you were a double major, with majors in more than one of the broad fields listed below, please select two.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Behavioral and social sciences (including economics, political science, and psychology, and sociology)
2. Business and management
3. Education
4. Engineering and computer sciences
5. Fine and performing arts (including, music, dance, and studio arts)
6. Health and medical
7. Humanities (including literature, languages, history, and philosophy)
8. Natural sciences (including life and physical sciences; math; and statistics)
9. Other, please specify