Public Opinion and Polling

Name:

Public Opinion and Polling

Click on the link above. In your groups, preview the following questions together. Individually read the article and then answer the questions at the bottom as a group.

1. Historically, why and how was theLiterary Digestpoll of 1936 and the Gallup Poll of 1948 flawed? What lessons about polling were learned from these two polling mistakes?

2. In a poll, why must there be a clear and accurate link between sample and population?

3. What problems can be created by public opinion polls?

4. What are exit polls?

5. Why do most polls today rely primarily upon phone banks?

6. Could instantaneous polls via the Internet help or hinder American politics? Why?

7. What is meant by a poll's "sampling error"?

There are a lot of polls asking the public about a lot of things. But how is that polling data used? How is such data to be interpreted? What can they tell us about how strongly (intensity) Americans feel about certain issues and how important those issues are (saliency)? Do the data reflect consistency inpublic opinionover time (stability)? Knowing how to look at polling data is an important skill when understanding American political identity and culture.

Important Vocabulary:

demographic

demography

public opinion

saliency

stability

Article/Poll Links:

Rasmussen Poll- Right Track, Wrong Track

1.)What is the purpose of this poll?

2.)According to the data how do people feel about the general direction of the country?

3.)What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of poll?

Gallup Poll- Congressional Job Approval

1.)What was the purpose of this survey?

2.)According to the poll how do people currently feel about Congress? What are some of the factors that seem to influence their opinions? (for example-how does party affiliation affect people’s perceptions?)

3.)Open the “view methodology, full question results and trend data” link. How was the poll conducted? How much previous data do the polling researchers have on this subject?

Gallup Poll-Gay Rights

1.)What is the purpose of this survey?

2.)How does this poll differ from the others that you have analyzed?

3.)What are some the important trends that can be followed through a close reading of this poll and its predecessors?