What Is TrueNorth?

TrueNorth gives you trustworthy market data and insights at a price you can afford.

There are two main ways to discover what people think, feel, and do. One is through probability surveys, which set the standard for accuracy and reliability. The second is through nonprobability surveys, which are much cheaper to field but often produce faulty findings. TrueNorth has developed a computer formula that fixes these errors, allowing us to merge results from nonprobability surveys into the results of a rigorously conducted AmeriSpeak® survey. The result is a much larger dataset that is both reliable and cost-effective to produce.

At a Glance

An overview of TrueNorth

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TrueNorth is powered by AmeriSpeak and backed by NORC, one of the most trusted brands in survey research.

Delivering objective, insightful data is in TrueNorth’s DNA. Though we’re relatively new, our history goes back to 1941, when NORC at the University of Chicago was founded as a pioneer in survey research. NORC honed and evolved its methods over thousands of studies, becoming a trusted research partner for governments, nonprofit, and select business clients around the world. In 2015, NORC founded AmeriSpeak, which uses a scientifically recruited panel of respondents that is representative of the US population. AmeriSpeak quickly became one of the most accurate, reliable panel solutions on the market. TrueNorth uses data from AmeriSpeak’s probability-based surveys to calibrate data from less reliable nonprobability surveys, giving your research the rigor of AmeriSpeak and the cost-effectiveness of nonprobability-based online surveys.

TrueNorth Gets Proven Results

Our clients have experienced the power of TrueNorth first-hand, getting better data and more trustworthy insights at a more affordable price.

80^%

less bias than estimates from opt-in samples

Our latest method for calibrating the results of nonprobability surveys to the findings of a baseline AmeriSpeak survey makes them 4.5 times more accurate.

25^%

less expensive than a comparable probability survey

TrueNorth pricing effectively falls “in the middle” of pricing for probability and opt-in.

75^%

larger sample size capabilities

TrueNorth allows for sample sizes up to 3/4ths larger than those attainable from probability panels.

See How it Works

The Expertise to Take Research Forward

With well over a century of combined experience in gathering and analyzing public opinion on a wide range of topics, TrueNorth’s leadership knows how to deliver for clients.

David Dutwin

David Dutwin is a nationally recognized expert in survey methodology, panel research best practices, and survey business strategy. He is the executive director and senior vice president of AmeriSpeak, NORC’s premier panel-based research platform. Since joining NORC in 2019, his work has focused on election methodology, surveying low-incidence populations, and leveraging big data to improve panel data quality. David is a long-time AAPOR member and past president, with extensive service on its Executive Council.

Mark Watts

Mark Watts, Vice President of Client Services at AmeriSpeak, is a leading expert in probability-based survey methodology and production. With nearly three decades of experience in survey research, he oversees a rapidly growing team at NORC that fields hundreds of projects annually using the AmeriSpeak Panel. Mark provides strategic guidance on sampling, weighting, and questionnaire design, contributing to major initiatives like AP VoteCast, Facebook Election Research, and NCHS surveys.

Ting Yan

Ting Yan is the Chief Scientist of AmeriSpeak with over 25 years of experience designing and implementing large-scale federal surveys. She has published extensively on topics such as questionnaire design, sensitive questions, response burden, and data quality evaluation using machine learning. Her current research focuses on multimode survey designs and integrating AI to enhance survey efficiency and quality. Ting has held leadership roles in professional organizations including ASA, AAPOR, and ESRA, and currently serves on AAPOR’s Executive Council.

Suzanne Howard

Suzanne Howard is a client services manager for NORC’s AmeriSpeak panel. Prior to joining NORC, she was a senior project manager for Dynata’s Consulting and Investment Research vertical, managing market research studies for management consulting and private equity clients. She received her MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.