American Government › Section F · Public opinion › Topic F.2
How public opinion is measured
A well-designed poll of about 1,000 people can describe the views of more than 250 million adults, while a badly designed poll of millions can miss by a mile. The difference lies in sampling, question design and honest reporting of uncertainty.
In this topic
- From straw polls to science
- The lesson of 1936
- Worked example: diagnosing the Digest's failure
- Populations and samples
- Sample size and margin of error
- Worked example: is the race really close?
- How polls reach people
- Wording and order
- When respondents and timing mislead
- Push polls and judging quality
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…