John Finamore, SRMS Publications Officer

As the publications officer for the Survey Research Methods Section (SRMS), I am responsible for ensuring that SRMS members (and those considering SRMS membership) are aware of ongoing SRMS activities and the work we are accomplishing. This article provides an overview of the different ways we publicize the activities of our section.

The most prominent SRMS publication tool is the SRMS website. Our website includes the most up-to-date information about the SRMS-sponsored competitions and awards, including the Waksberg Award, SRMS Student Travel Award, Student Paper Competition, and E. C. Bryant Scholarship Award. In addition, the website includes proceedings of the SRMS-sponsored Joint Statistical Meetings sessions from 1978–2012 (the 2013 proceedings will be posted later this year). Many thanks go to Pushpal Mukhopadhyay for his work maintaining the SRMS website and overseeing the posting of the SRMS-sponsored proceedings papers.

To reach our constituents who prefer having their SRMS news delivered to them directly, we produce a SRMS newsletter twice a year (January and July). The newsletter includes an update from the SRMS Section chair, announcements about upcoming SRMS activities, and occasionally a feature article about a topic of interest to the survey research methods community. Past feature articles have discussed the role of the Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT), redesign of the Consumer Expenditures Survey, and operational planning associated with the Decennial Census data-collection effort. The SRMS Newsletter, produced by Jamie Ridenhour and Shelton Jones, can be found on our section website.

We also use Amstat News and the ASA Twitter and Facebook social networking sites to publicize SRMS activities. Amstat News includes a section that provides updates for the ASA chapters and sections. In most issues of Amstat News, you will find an article or two from SRMS. We use the ASA social networking sites to post reminders about upcoming events and activities. Some of the topics featured in the Amstat News articles and Twitter/Facebook posts include the SRMS-sponsored webinar series, SRMS Student Travel Award, SRMS-sponsored JSM roundtables and sessions, and the annual business meeting (typically occurring on the Wednesday of JSM week). When you have a minute, please take the time to follow ASA on Twitter and Facebook to ensure you get all the SRMS updates. And when you get your next issue of Amstat News, be sure to take a look at the chapters and sections news.

Since it is my responsibility to publicize the work SRMS members do throughout the year, I encourage you to send me ideas for future Amstat News articles or Twitter/Facebook posts. In addition, if you have any ideas or suggestions for improving our publication activities, please let me know. I can be reached at jfinamor@nsf.gov.