GSS Documentation
Release 2 of the 2024 GSS Cross-section data are now available. This updated data features questions related to religious affiliation and practice, industry and occupation, household composition, and new topical questions. We encourage users to review the documentation and consider the potential impact of the experiments and data collection approach on the survey estimates. Release 2 also reflects adjustments to some variables following a disclosure review process that was implemented to better protect GSS respondent privacy (for details, see the GSS 2024 Codebook).
GSS Codebook
The 2024 GSS Cross-section codebook is available as a single file, detailing the 2024 GSS Cross-section only:
2024 GSS Cross-section Codebook (Release 2)
Previous single year codebooks are also available:
2022 GSS Cross-section Codebook (Release 4)
2021 GSS Cross-section Codebook (Release 4)
The 1972-2018 GSS codebook is available as a single file:
1972-2018 GSS Cross-Section Codebook
The 2016-2020 GSS Panel Codebook is available as a single file, detailing the 2016-2020 GSS Panel only:
The 2006-2014 GSS Panel Codebook is available as a single file, detailing the panels between 2006 and 2014:
GSS 1972-2018 Cross-Section Codebook Sections
Appendix A - Sampling Design and Weighting
Appendix B - Field Work and Interviewer Specifications
Appendix C - General Coding Instructions
Appendix E - Age and Cohort Distributions
Appendix F - Occupational Classification Distributions
Appendix G - Prestige Scores Distributions
Appendix H - Industrial Classifications Distributions
Appendix I - International Standard of Classification of Occupation
Appendix K - Protestant Denominations Distributions
Appendix L - Hours Worked Distributions
Appendix M - Abortion and ERA Distributions
Appendix N - Changes in Question Wording, Response Categories, and Format
Appendix P - Experimental Form
Appendix R - Crossnational and Topical Modules
Appendix S - Supplemental and Related Data
Appendix T - General Social Survey Papers
Other Documentation
Supplemental Documentation for the Cumulative Data
Technical Documentation
Suspected Issues in the GSS (as of October 8, 2025)
Call for new Modules for the 2026 GSS
Guidelines for Paid Modules (Updated for 2026 and beyond)
Obtaining GSS Sensitive Data Files (Updated 2024)
Sortable Cross-Section and Panel Variable and Module Identification (Updated 2018)
Design Variables (Updated 2013)
How to Link the Panel Data with the Merged Data (Updated 2013)
A Supplemental File for PRESTG10 & SEI10
Occupation and Industry New Variables and Instructions (Updated 2016)
Documentation for Panel Data
Past Documentation
GSS 2022
Release Notes for GSS 1972-2022 (through Release 4)
What's New in 2022 (through Release 4)
Variables Available in 2022 (through Release 4)
Mode Sensitivity in the 2022 GSS (May 16, 2023)
Call for new Modules for GSS 2022
GSS 2021
Methodological Primer for GSS 2021 cross-section
Release Notes for GSS 1972-2021 (through Release 3b)
The Replicating Core (Updated 2021)
GSS 1972-2018
Release Notes for GSS 1972-2018 (through Release 3)
Release Notes for GSS 1972-2016 (through Release 4)
Release Notes for GSS 1972-2014 (through Release 6)
Release Notes for GSS 1972-2012 (through Release 6)
Release Notes for GSS 1972-2010 Release 2 (Feb. 2012)
The Replicating Core (Updated 2006)
GSS Panels
Release Notes for GSS Panel 2008-Sample Wave 2 (Sep. 2012)
Release Notes for GSS 2010 Merged Release 1 (Oct. 2011)
Release Notes for the GSS Panel Wave 2 Release 1 (Apr. 2010)
Release Notes for the GSS 2008 Cross-Section and Panel Merged Data Release 2 (Dec. 2009)
Notes on the 2008 GSS Cross-Section and Panel Merged
Other Documentation
ISSP Bibliography (Updated 2014)
-- For the most up-to-date ISSP Bibliography, visit https://issp.org/about-issp/publications/
GSS in the News
NORC at the University of Chicago is giving social scientists and other researchers an easy way to fold social media conversations into their research projects with the launch of its General Social Media Archive. The Archive complements NORC’s long-running, highly influential General Social Survey (GSS).
That explains why consumers say they feel as bad as they did in the financial-crisis year of 2009, a recent Gallup poll showed. For the first time, Americans who say they are "not too happy" outnumber those who say they're "very happy," according to a survey from the nonprofit group NORC at the University of Chicago.
Twenty-four percent of Americans reported they were “not too happy” in life in 2021, up from 13% in 2018, according to the General Social Survey, a sociological survey conducted by research organization NORC at the University of Chicago. The share of those who said they were “very happy” declined to 19% from 31% over the same period.
