• 1997年6至11月期間，「社會指標」及「法治指標」的調查每個月進行一次，然後改為每兩個月進行一次，2000年7月起改為每三個月進行一次，2005年10月之後漸次改為每半年進行一次，以配合社會的發展。
• 「社會指標」和「法治次指標」調查的提問方式為「如果10分代表絕對怎樣怎樣，0分代表絕對不怎樣怎樣，5分代表一半半，你會比幾多分香港社會？」，而在「法治次指標」調查中，我們亦會加問終審法院首席法官的評分，提問方式為「請你用0-100分評價你對終審法院首席法官李國能既支持程度，0分代表絕對唔支持，100分代表絕對支持，50分代表一半半，你會俾幾多分終審法院首席法官李國能呢？」 
• 樣本數目方面，1997年7月至2000年3月期間，兩項指標調查的樣本數目都稍為超過500個。在2000年5月以後，有關調查的樣本數目就增加至1,000個以上。 
• 民研計劃早期於1997年6月至1998年6月進行的「社會指標」及「法治指標」調查，結果都在由民研計劃發行的《民意快訊》中發表。及至2000年6月《民意網站》成立後，兩項調查所有調查數據分別於2002年1月及7月開始透過網站向外公佈，而以往透過民研計劃刊物《民意快訊》發表的調查結果，亦以不同形式上載到網站之中。(初版：2006年9月5日新聞公報之附加資料)

Subjective social and rule of law indicators

Social indicator survey is a common way to monitor and measure a society's development. HKUPOP first conducted such surveys around the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, in order to monitor the new development of Hong Kong society. In our research domain, "social indicators" comprises 12 main indicators, namely, "democracy", "freedom, "prosperity", "stability", "fairness", "civilization", "corruption-free", "equality", "efficiency", "social welfare", "public order" and "rule of law", and 2 sets of "freedom sub-indicators" and "rule of law sub-indicators". The first set comprises "freedom of speech", "freedom of press", "freedom of publication", "freedom of procession and demonstration", "freedom of association", "freedom to strike", "freedom to enter or leave Hong Kong", "freedom to engage in academic research", "freedom to engage in artistic and literary creation" and "freedom of religious belief", while the latter set comprises "fairness of the judicial system" and "impartiality of the courts". Herewith the details of our "social indicators" and "rule of law sub-indicators" surveys: 

• Between June and November 1997, our surveys of social and rule of law indicators were conducted once every month. It was then changed to once every two months, until it was changed again to once every three months beginning from July 2000. Starting from October 2005, its frequency was gradually changed to once every six months, in order to match society's development. 
• For the "social indicators" and "rule of law sub-indicators" surveys, the wordings used in the questionnaire are "If you were to use 0-10 to evaluate whether Hong Kong is a such and such society, with 10 indicating absolutely such and such, 0 indicating absolutely not such and such, 5 indicating half-half, how would you rate Hong Kong?" During our "rule of law sub-indicators" surveys, we also include one additional question on the rating of the Chief Justice, wordings being "Please use a scale of 0-100 to rate your extent of support to the Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang, with 0 indicating absolutely not supportive, 100 indicating absolutely supportive and 50 indicating half-half. How would you rate the Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang?" 
• Regarding sample size, between June 1997 and March 2000, the sample size of all surveys was set at slightly over 500. From May 2000 onwards, it was increased to at least 1,000. 
• The findings of our early social and rule of law indicators conducted between June 1997 and June 1998 were published in our newsletter POP Express. After our HKU POP Site was established in June 2000, such findings were released on-line starting from January and July 2002 respectively, while all previous findings published in our POP Express were also uploaded on-line in various formats.  (First release: Supplementary section of our press release of 5 September 2006)