List of Past Directives
Below are all the Directive questions we have asked in the past! By clicking on the titles below you can download the topics and questions that were asked. If you would like more information about accessing the responses, head here or download a list of question titles. Where you see a name after a topic title, this is the researcher or research team who comissioned that topic.
The 1980s
List of 1980s Directives
1: Summer 1981
Currency, Royal Wedding, Business Premises, Unemployment, Holidays, Food
2: Royal Wedding Special 1981
Diary for the Day
3: Autumn 1981
Currency, Pet Food, Shopping Strategies, Business Premises, Unemployment, Liberal-SDP Alliance, Christmas
4: Spring 1982
House Prices, Unsolicited Mail, Weather in January, Railway Strike, Local Elections, Business Premises, Unemployment, Falklands/Malvinas War
5: Special
The Falkland Islands Crisis 1982: War with Argentina
6: Summer 1982
Public Services, Private Services, The Budget, Gas & Electricity Bills, Royalty, Inflation, Currency, Food, EEC
7: EEC Special
Tenth Anniversary of British Entry Into Europe
8: Autumn 1982
Pocket Money, Business Premises/Cheque Books/Currency
9: Falklands/Malvinas Postscript 1982
Falklands War Aftermath: Reactions To Falklands Parade
10: Winter 1982
Food, Gardening
11: Spring 1983
The General Election, Water workers’ Strike, Coinage, Viewing and Reading
12: Summer 1983
Work
13: Autumn 1983
Housework & maintenance, business premises
14: Winter 1983
Social Well-Being
15: Spring 1984
Social Well-Being
16: Summer 1984
Electronic Banking, Miscellany
17: Autumn 1984
Attitudes To USA
18: Winter 1984
Relatives, Friends & Neighbours
19: Spring 1985
Morality & religion; Posters
20: Autumn 1986
Self portrait (no public access); Major Events; Christmas Day Diary
21: Spring 1987
waste, thrift and consumerism; A.I.D.S. campaign
22: May Special 1987
General Election
23: Summer 1987
Holidays; Day diary: August Bank Holiday 1987
24: Autumn/Winter 1987
The car; The hurricane and floods
25: Spring 1988
Clothing
27: Autumn 1988
Regular Pastimes; TV Day-Diaries
28: Spring 1989
Disasters; Food News
29: Summer 1989
Rules of Conduct; Day Diary for June 15th, European Election Day
30: Autumn/Winter 1989
Relaxants and Stimulants; The ‘Backing Britain’ Campaign
The 1990s
List of 1990s Directives
31: Spring 1990
Social Divisions; Retrospective on The Eighties
32: Summer 1990
Close relationships; Your Views on MO
33: Autumn/Winter 1990
Celebrations; Gulf Crisis; Organisations
34: Spring 1991
Education; The Uses of Reading & Writing & Literacy Diaries (Devised by Dorothy Sheridan and Professor B Street); Taking Risks
35: Autumn 1991
Women & Men; Technology
36: Spring 1992
Personal Hygiene (BBC Radio 4 team); The Pace Of Life (Jenny Shaw); One Day Diary; 1992 General Election
37: Summer 1992
Nature & the Environment (Prof Colin Lacey, Dr John
Abraham and Dr Peter Dickens)
38: Winter 1992
Growing Older (Dr Stefan Bohman with advice from Dr
Dorothy Jerrome); Looking Back at 1992; Last Night’s Dreams
39: Spring 1993
Growing Up; Reading; Community/ Foreigners
40: Summer 1993
Pleasure; Security & Crime; Current Issues
41: Autumn/Winter 1993
Managing money; Birth; The title “Mass Observation”
42: Spring 1994
Death & Bereavement ( Lisa Osborne); Serial Killers; Autobiography & Diaries
43: Autumn/Winter 1994
Sport; Drugs (Dr Geoff Lowe); Current Events (Rail Strike, Ireland, Royalty, Criminal Justice Bill)
44: Spring 1995
Day Diary (Meals); the Countryside (Prof Alun Howkins); Television Soap Operas (Mireille Hartman)
45: Summer 1995
Shopping in Britain (Janice Winship & Jenny Shaw)
46: Autumn/Winter 1995
Images of Where You Live: Cities, Towns, Villages; Mothers & Literacy (Jane Mace); Subject of own choice
47: Spring 1996
The Lottery; Menstruation (Alia Al-Khalidi); Subject of own Choice Version 2 of the Directive
48: Summer 1996
Beef, BSE & the “mad cow” debate; the supernatural (Dr Ulf Sjodin)
49: Autumn/Winter 1996
Using the Telephone; Unpaid Work (Gill Muncey); The Next General Election
50: Spring 1997
You & the NHS (Linda Lamont); The Next General Election
51: Summer 1997
Doing a Job (Raymond Hickman); Being Overweight (Erica Berkoles)
52: Summer 1997 (Special)
The Death of Diana
53: Autumn 1997
Music; Dancing; the Future
54: Spring 1998
The Garden and Gardening (Dr Peter Dickens and Dr Mark Bhatt); Having An Affair (Dr Kaeren Harrison)
55: Autumn 1998
Present Giving and Receiving (Dr Louise Purbrick); Staying Well And Everyday Life (Dr Helen Busby)
56: Spring 1999
Going to the Cinema; Current Issues; Documenting the Millennium
57: Summer 1999
The Public Library (Dr Alistair Black); Body Piercing & Tattooing; Current Event (Gill Behdad)
58: Autumn 1999
Sleeping And Dreaming; Millennium Diary
The 2000s
List of 2000s Directives
59: Spring 2000
Travelling; Collecting Things
60: Summer 2000
Coming to Britain; Queen Mother at 100 (Robert Lacey); Designing your own Directive
61: Autumn 2000
The Family; Gays & Family (Dr Derek McGhee); Current events
62: Spring 2001
Hair & hairdressing (Alice MacDonald); The next General Election; Marks & Spencer (Jenny Shaw & Janice
Winship)
63: Summer 2001
Courting & dating (Dr Claire Langhamer); Reality TV and radio (Jenny Shaw); the General Election
64: Special 2001
11 September 2001: diary of reactions
65: Autumn 2001
Media & the public interest (Dr Nick Couldry); the impact of war after 11 September
66: Spring 2002
Having a laugh (Sandra Koa-Wing); The Royal Family in 2002
67: Summer 2002
Birthdays (Dr Bill Bytheway); Issues in the news
68: Autumn 2002
Mobile phones (Dr Carl Adam); Owning pets; The world situation at the end of 2002
69: Spring 2003
Images of the 1950s and 60s (Edwina Griffiths); Saturday diaries; the War in Iraq
70: Autumn 2003
Public and private spaces/places (Professor Sophie Watson); Childhood reading (Hilary Young): comics and magazines; Diary for New Year’s Eve 2003
71: Spring 2004
Using numbers (Professor John Mason); You and the BBC; Going to university
72: Summer 2004
Letters; Email
73: Autumn 2004
Being part of research; Your most recent dream (Dave Stephens)
74: Spring 2005
The Asian Tsunami; Charles and Camilla; The best thing that happened to you in 2004
75: Summer 2005
The Universe and Outer Space (Dr Peter Dickens and Dr James
Omrod); Wildlife Documentaries (Dr Thomas Austin); Current Issues and Events
PostScript to the Summer 2005 Directive
Bombs in London
76: Autumn 2005
Sex; Public Library Buildings (Prof Alistair Black); Hurricanes in the USA
77: Spring 2006
Genes, Genetics & Cloning; Public Mourning; One day diary
78: Summer 2006
History Matters; Core British Values; The Football World Cup
79: Autumn 2006
Your Home (Professor Alison Clarke); Quoting and Quotations (Professor Ruth Finnegan); Age (Professor Paul Kingston)
80: Spring 2007
The New Smoking Ban and Pubs (Donna Hetherington); Violence in the Home (Hazel McLeod)
81: Summer 2007
Shopping and Making a Difference (Dr Matthew Adams & Dr
Jayne Raisborough); You and Gardens (Dr Mark Bhatti)
82: Spring 2008
You & the NHS in 2008 (Fran McCabe & Linda
Lamont); Your life line
83: Summer 2008
Doing Family History Research (Dr Anne Marie Kramer); War: experiences and reflections; The Olympics
84: Winter 2008
The World Financial Crisis; Global Poverty and Health (Prof L Haddad & D
Sheridan); The Ups and Downs of Friendship (Prof Carol Smart)
85: Spring 2009
The Second World War (Prof Penny Summerfield); Using the Internet; Issues in the news
86: Summer 2009
Animals and humans (Prof Nickie Charles); Heaven and hell (Dr Peter Dickens & Dr James
Omrod); Swine flu or H1N1
87: Winter 2009
Midlife transitions; Books and you; Predicting the Future
The 2010s
List of 2010s Directives
88: Spring 2010
A working day; Personal finances (Dr Carl Adams); The General Election 2010
89: Summer 2010
Families and holidays (Dr Jennifer Mason); Belonging (Dr Vanessa May)
90: Autumn 2010
Childhood and illness (Dr Mary Clare Martin); Going to funerals (Tara Bailey); Special questionnaire
91: Spring 2011
Donor Conception (Prof Carol Smart); Gambling (Dr Emma Cassey); The Royal Wedding
92: Summer 2011
Climate change (Prof Ruth Woodfield); Ageing and care (Prof Paul Kingston); The press in 2011
93: Winter 2011
Crime & Investigation (Dr Dana Wilson-Kovcas); Civil disobedience; You and the 1980s
94: Spring 2012
Big and Society (Dr Rose Lindsey and Dr Sarah L. Bulloch); Photos, music and memory (Professor Michael Pickering, Dr Nicola Allett, Dr Emily Keightley); Dream Diary
95: Summer 2012
School, teachers and pupils (Simon Thompson); Siblings (Katherine Davies); The Diamond Jubilee 2nd –5th June 2012
96: Autumn 2012
Photography & you (Russel Roberts); Cosmetic Surgery; The London Olympic & Paralympic Games
97: Spring 2013
Human rights (Tom Southerden), immigration & the legal system; Spiritualism (Ruth Finnegan); The High Street
98: Winter 2013
Serial Killers (Professor Phil Tew); The Countryside (Sally Bream); What makes you happy?
99: Spring 2014
Politics and Politicians (Nick Clark); Scottish Referendum 2014; Eurovision (Jeremy McClancy)
100: Summer 2014
Global poverty & charities (Rachel Tavernor); Corporal Punishment (Owen Emmerson); Current Affairs in Summer 2014
101: Autumn 2014
The First World War (Lucy Noakes); Working families (Zoe Young)
102: Spring 2015
Dementia (Paul Kingston); The General Election 2015
103: Summer 2015
You online (Becky Roach); Dear 16 year old me
104: Autumn 2015
Fraud and scams (Paul Kingston); Bonfire Night; The Refugee Crisis
105: Spring 2016
Social Mobility (Selina Todd); Higher Education (Fiona Courage); The EU Referendum
106: Summer 2016
Using animals for research (Pru Hobson West); Being ‘thrifty’ (Helen Holmes)
107: Winter 2016
Homelessness; Boxing Day 2016
Postscript to the Winter 2016 Directive:
US Presidential Election
108: Spring 2017
Your bedroom; World events
109: Summer 2017
EU Referendum (Liz McDonnell); Reading Aloud (Samantha Duncan)
110: Autumn 2017
One-day Diary: organising and experiencing time (Jennifer Whillans); Prison
111: Spring 2018
Charity and the Welfare State (Irene Hardhill); Disability; The Royal Wedding Saturday 19th May 2018
112: Summer 2018
Fire and Rescue Services (Paul Kingson); You and the NHS (Mathew Thompson); Purses and Wallets
113: Autumn 2018
Protest (Pollyanna Ruiz); Future of consumption
(Daniel Welch); Diary day: Sunday 11th November 2018
114: Spring 2019
You & Plastics; Loneliness and belonging; 29th March 2019: Brexit day diary
115: Summer 2019
Personal Identity; Sex Education (Sian Edwards); Milk usage
116: Winter 2019
Mantelpieces and treasured objects; Unlocking Sound; Election Day (12th December 2019)
The 2020s
List of 2020s Directives
117: Special Directive
Coronavirus
118: Spring 2020
Gender (Paul Kingston); Coronavirus update
119: Summer 2020
Covid-19 and Time; Black Lives Matter
120: Autumn 2020
Nothing and the ‘road not taken’ (Susie Scott); Everyday Health and Wellbeing (Tracey Louchran)
121: Spring 2021
Household Recycling
(Henry Irving); Why I write; The COVID-19 Vaccine
122: Summer 2021
Covid-19 Testing Stories (Helen Stagg and Alice Street); A favourite recipe and a memorable meal
123: Autumn 2021
Kindness (Robin Banerjee); UK Trade Deals (Paul Kingston); UK Events
124: Spring 2022
Smell (William Tullett); Drones (Anna Jackman); Second World War
(Daniel Shuster);The Russian invasion of Ukraine
125: Summer 2022
Grudging Acts (Wendy Bottero); Genetics and health in our everyday lives (Susie Weller); The Royal Family and update (sent 12/09/2022)
126: Autumn 2022
Forgiveness (Owen Abbott); Ageism (Paul Kingston); Current events in 2022
127: Spring 2023
Cost of living and support (Jane Falkingham); Everyday ritual (Rebecca Leech), materials and magic; Coronation
128: Summer 2023
Digital technologies in the home (David Evans); Clothes and personal appearance;
129: Autumn 2023
Everyday living with multiple long-term health conditions (Sue Bellas); seasons; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
130: Spring 2024
Retirement (Helen McCarthy); Mystery (James Hodgson)
130: Summer 2024
Everyday oral health (Paul Kingston); the General Election; Singing
132: Autumn 2024
Cost of Living Crisis Update; Vapes and Vaping; The US Election
133: Spring 2025
Covid-19 Five years on; VE Day; Good News
134: Summer 2025
Hands; Time Pieces; Kitchens
135: Autumn 2025
Feeling the Temperature (Rebecca Wright); Sexuality and Secrecy; Christmas Greeting Cards
136: Spring 2026
Seeking Asylum (Ellen Pilsworth); Everyday Colour; Peacemaking (Emily Calcroft)
137: Summer 2026
Wealth and the Rich (David Cowan); Corruption (Robert Barrington); Books