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National Polls

Name

Department

Course Name

Instructor
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National Polls

I decided to use a current poll from NBC News as an instance. In this specific poll, conducted from

November 10 to 14, a sampling of 1,000 voters was surveyed, accompanying 833 respondents

contacted via cellphone. The poll proposed to capture a cross-section of ideas across the United States.

This sample is diversified in terms of demographics, including age, gender, race, and governmental

affiliation. An effort was made to ensure that the sample of respondents was representative of the entire

country, and they were chosen at random from national databases of houses and cellphone numbers. To

guarantee preciseness, minimal weights based on gender, ethnicity, age, race, education, and the 2020

presidential vote were used for the responses.

The population, in this case, refers to all registered voters in the United States. The goal of the

poll is to extrapolate the opinions of this larger population based on the responses obtained from the

sampled group. The pollsters, in collaboration with NBC News, designed the questions to be as neutral

as possible, and the poll included a variety of topics, including approval ratings for President Joe

Biden, perceptions of his handling of foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war, and preferences for

potential 2024 election candidates. The margin of error for the overall poll is reported at plus or minus

3.1 percentage points, providing an indication of the level of uncertainty associated with the findings.

Responses

I agree with you, Jack. Your explanation about the distinction between the sample and the

population in national polls is concise and accurate. It's crucial to highlight the significance of a

representative sample, ensuring diversity across various demographic factors. The meticulous selection

of individuals is indeed fundamental to preventing bias and ensuring that the collected opinions reflect

the broader population. Emphasizing the goal of making informed inferences about the entire

population based on the responses of the sampled individuals is key to the reliability of any poll. Your
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breakdown effectively clarifies the roles of both the sample and the population, providing a solid

understanding of the methodology involved in gauging public opinion on a national scale.

I agree with you, Jarilliana. Your post effectively captures the essence of how national polls are

conducted to gauge public opinions. The emphasis on the sample, comprising randomly selected

individuals from diverse demographics, is crucial for ensuring a representative snapshot of the entire

population. The hypothetical example involving an NBC News survey illustrates the meticulous

approach in selecting respondents to capture the breadth of ideas and attributes present in the broader

population. Your explanation also rightly highlights the significance of the representativeness of the

sample and the methodologies employed, as these factors profoundly impact the polls' ability to draw

meaningful conclusions about the larger population.

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Reference

Murray, M. (2023, November 19). Poll: Biden’s standing hits new lows amid Israel-Hamas war. NBC

News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/poll-bidens-standing-hits-new-lows-

israel-hamas-war-rcna125251