Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary difference between a mass survey and a focus group?
What is the primary difference between a mass survey and a focus group?
- A mass survey focuses on a few topics, while a focus group covers many topics.
- A focus group is scientific polling, whereas a mass survey is not.
- A mass survey provides qualitative data, while a focus group provides quantitative data.
- A mass survey can include many participants, while a focus group measures the opinion of a small group. (correct)
Which of the following describes the influence of public opinion polls on elections?
Which of the following describes the influence of public opinion polls on elections?
- Public opinion polls have minimal impact on how candidates plan their campaigns.
- Public opinion polls affect elections by shaping candidates' understanding of voters' desires. (correct)
- Public opinion polls are only useful for understanding party affiliation.
- Public opinion polls determine election outcomes solely based on the number of participants.
What is a potential limitation of public opinion polls?
What is a potential limitation of public opinion polls?
- They always include a representative sample of the population.
- Response bias can affect the reliability of the results. (correct)
- They only measure qualitative data accurately.
- They are more effective for gathering anecdotal evidence.
Which type of question is likely to provide a more neutral assessment of public opinion?
Which type of question is likely to provide a more neutral assessment of public opinion?
Which statement about credible polling websites is true?
Which statement about credible polling websites is true?
Which factor is essential for ensuring that a poll's sample accurately represents the larger population?
Which factor is essential for ensuring that a poll's sample accurately represents the larger population?
What is the main purpose of a benchmark poll?
What is the main purpose of a benchmark poll?
Which type of poll is conducted at voting sites to understand how people voted?
Which type of poll is conducted at voting sites to understand how people voted?
What characteristic must questions in a scientifically rigorous poll possess?
What characteristic must questions in a scientifically rigorous poll possess?
What is a significant limitation of polling that involves sampling error?
What is a significant limitation of polling that involves sampling error?
Which event likely influenced the public's political attitudes according to noted trends?
Which event likely influenced the public's political attitudes according to noted trends?
When measuring public opinion, why is random sampling vital?
When measuring public opinion, why is random sampling vital?
What defines a tracking poll?
What defines a tracking poll?
Flashcards
Public Opinion Polls
Public Opinion Polls
Surveys used to measure people's opinions on issues, often influencing elections and policy debates
Poll Question: Neutrality
Poll Question: Neutrality
Asking unbiased questions to avoid influencing responses, e.g., "Should vaccination be required?" instead of "Should mandatory vaccination be required?"
Mass Survey
Mass Survey
A questionnaire given to many people to collect quantitative data, focusing on quantities or numerical answers.
Focus Group
Focus Group
A small group discussion gauging individuals' views; used for qualitative insights.
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Quantitative Data
Quantitative Data
Numerical information gathered from surveys, providing specific measurements.
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Qualitative Data
Qualitative Data
Detailed insights and opinions, often gathered through focus groups or interviews.
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Credibility of Public Opinion Data
Credibility of Public Opinion Data
Evaluating the quality and trustworthiness of collected public opinion data to ensure accuracy.
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Impact of polls
Impact of polls
Public opinion polls significantly affect election campaigns and policy debates, influencing which policies candidates support
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Public Opinion Poll
Public Opinion Poll
A method to measure public beliefs on a specific topic or candidate, using scientific rigor.
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Scientific Poll
Scientific Poll
A poll designed to accurately reflect the views of a larger population, with unbiased questions and a representative sample.
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Representative Sample
Representative Sample
A sample with characteristics mirroring the larger population being studied.
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Random Sample
Random Sample
A sample where every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.
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Bias-free Question
Bias-free Question
A question that doesn't influence or steer the respondent towards a particular answer.
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Sampling Error
Sampling Error
The difference between the sample's results and the true views of the overall population.
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Opinion Poll
Opinion Poll
A poll measuring public opinion on a specific issue or candidate.
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Benchmark Poll
Benchmark Poll
A poll taken early in a campaign to establish a baseline, compared to future polls to monitor progress.
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Tracking Poll
Tracking Poll
A poll conducted over time with the same group to track changing attitudes or opinions.
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Entrance/Exit Poll
Entrance/Exit Poll
A poll conducted at polling places to collect data on how individuals voted.
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Warm-up and Notes
- Greet the table and complete the warmup
- Complete 4.5/4.6 notes
- Create a public opinion poll
- Create questions
- Collect data outside of class
Political Socialization Poster
- Poster is due Monday
Good Morning Question
- Would you rather live somewhere cold or always hot?
Influence of Political Events on Ideology
- Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization
- What political event likely caused the trend in the graph?
- a. The 2000 Presidential Election
- b. The 9/11 terrorist attacks
- c. The Clinton Impeachment Trial
- d. Y2K
- How patriotic are you? Survey results from 1994 – 2005 include percentages of people that responded "extremely patriotic", "very patriotic", "somewhat patriotic", or "not especially patriotic"
Measuring Public Opinion
- Learning Objective: Describe the elements of a scientific poll by taking notes and creating your own poll.
Polls
- Polls ask people what they believe; a scientifically rigorous poll is the best tool in measuring public opinion.
- Poll process includes:
- Writing unbiased questions
- Presenting questions to a random group of people
- Generalizing results to the larger population
Types of Polls
- Opinion Poll: Gets a feel for public opinion on a topic or regarding candidates/policies
- Benchmark Poll: Taken at the start of a candidate's run, used as a baseline to compare future polls and assess performance.
- Tracking Poll: Conducted over time with the same group to track opinions on a given topic.
- Entrance/Exit Poll: Conducted at voting sites to gauge voters' choices.
Credibility of Polls
- Discuss how to determine the credibility (or validity) of polls.
Sampling Methodology
- Representative Sample: The sample must reflect the characteristics of the larger population being studied.
- Random Sample: Each member of the population must have an equal chance of being selected for the sample.
- Neutral Questions: Questions should not be misleading or biased.
- Population = Sample The sample must reflect a full population of people.
Sampling Error
- Samples will not perfectly represent the entire population.
- A margin of error (often plus or minus three percent) shows a poll's accuracy.
Poll Question Example
- Include examples of neutral poll questions about COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Mass Survey/Survey Methodology
- Mass Survey: A questionnaire given to as many people as possible. It can only quantitatively measure data.
- Focus Group: A small group of people providing opinions; Qualitative data collection.
Evaluating Public Opinion Data
- Discuss the quality and credibility of claims based on public opinion data.
Public Opinion and Elections/Policy Debates
- Discuss how public opinion affects elections and policy debates.
- Examples include how candidates appeal to people's desires, and how 2016 election polls were viewed.
Public Opinion Polls
- The influence of opinion polls on elections and policy debates
- How the reliability of opinion polls affect their relationship with public opinion debates and elections
- Issues involving how people view the reliability of opinion polls
Classwork: Create a Poll with Data
- Come up with a question to ask high school students, teachers, family.
- Gather data and create a result poll, using polling websites like Gallup, Reuters, PRC.
- Deadline for poll results: Friday 10/25.
- Collect data for one week prior to the deadline.
- Provide results of a poll evaluating the attention government officials should pay to several issues (education, health, social, economic, foreign policy).
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