Survey Methodology
Survey Methodology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal with an unusual distinction: it is published not by a commercial publisher or a university press, but by Statistics Canada, the national statistical office of Canada. That institutional origin shapes everything about the journal, from its dual-language format to its open access policy. The questions this documentary will explore are straightforward but worth sitting with. Why does a government statistical agency run a scientific journal? Who reads it, and what kinds of problems does it help solve? And what does it mean that a publication born in 1975 is still going strong today, releasing two issues every year, freely available to anyone with an internet connection?
Statistics Canada, the national statistical office of Canada, is the body responsible for producing Survey Methodology. That arrangement is rarer than it might sound. Most peer-reviewed journals are run by academic societies, universities, or commercial publishers. A national statistical agency stepping into the role of journal publisher reflects a particular philosophy: that methodological knowledge about surveys belongs in the public domain, developed and disseminated by the very institutions that depend on it most. The journal publishes papers on both the development and the application of survey techniques, meaning it bridges theoretical research and practical implementation.
Survey Methodology carries two names. In English it is Survey Methodology; in French it is Techniques d'enquête. Canada's official bilingualism runs through the journal itself, which publishes in both languages. Since its founding in 1975, it has issued two numbers per year. The print version of the journal has since been discontinued, and the current format is entirely digital, available in both HTML and PDF online. Open access means no subscription is required; the full text is freely readable by researchers anywhere in the world.
Jean-François Beaumont, a senior statistical advisor at Statistics Canada, held the editor-in-chief role as of 2021. The journal's reach is partly defined by where it is indexed. Survey Methodology appears in the Current Index to Statistics, which focuses specifically on statistical literature. It is also indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded and the Social Sciences Citation Index, the two major citation databases that researchers in quantitative social science rely on to track influence and find relevant work. Inclusion in those indexes means that papers published in Survey Methodology circulate within the broader scholarly conversation, not just among specialists at national statistical offices.
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Common questions
What is Survey Methodology journal and who publishes it?
Survey Methodology is a peer-reviewed, open access scientific journal dedicated to the development and application of survey techniques. It is published by Statistics Canada, the national statistical office of Canada, in both English and French.
When did Survey Methodology journal start publishing?
Survey Methodology began publishing in 1975. It releases two issues per year and is currently available in HTML and PDF formats online; the print version has been discontinued.
Is Survey Methodology journal open access?
Yes, Survey Methodology is an open access journal. Full issues are freely available online in both HTML and PDF formats, with no subscription required.
What is the French name for Survey Methodology journal?
The French version of Survey Methodology is titled Techniques d'enquête. The journal publishes content in both English and French, reflecting Canada's official bilingualism.
Who is the editor-in-chief of Survey Methodology?
As of 2021, the editor-in-chief of Survey Methodology is Jean-François Beaumont, a senior statistical advisor at Statistics Canada.
What databases index Survey Methodology journal?
Survey Methodology is indexed in the Current Index to Statistics, the Science Citation Index Expanded, and the Social Sciences Citation Index.