This report presents data on the civic involvement of U.S. adults, including sources of information, community and political participation, and attitudes toward government and democratic principles. The data are from the 1996 National Household Education Survey, Adult Civic Involvement component. A brief summary of the data is included in the Highlights section. An overview of the survey methodology is profiled in Technical Notes. The majority of the information is expressed in statistical tables correlating participant characteristics (age, sex, education, household income) with responses to the phone survey questions. Regarding sources of information, adults were asked about their reading habits and activities. The survey revealed that the percentage of adults who read the national news in a newspaper or news magazine almost daily increased with each age category from 18 to 55 and older. Two five-item sets of questions about the government were included in the survey. An adult's highest level of education was related to their score on this knowledge index. The poll also collected information on community participation, defined as membership in an organization, attending religious services on a regular basis, or participating in community service. Voting and five other types of political participation were measured, as well as skills related to civic participation. In addition, adults were asked their opinion about statements related to political efficacy and democratic values. The survey also asked for opinions on four potential actions that might improve public education. (MJP)