Thursday

10.13.22

Learning Goals: Students will review and be able to list the five elements of a scientific public opinion poll
in table convos and by watching a video discussing the components of a poll.
Content Standards: 12.8.3. Explain how public officials use the media to communicate with the citizenry and to
shape public opinion.
 Warm-Up Review:

List and define/describe the five

required components for a scientific
public opinion poll.
 These 5
elements must
exist in a
reputable
scientific public
opinion poll
 Video: Here's how a poll of 1,000 people represents the
entire country
Instructions: While watching the video - what additional information do you learn about
the 5 elements of a reputable poll? Add your notes to the table below while watching
the video. VIDEO

Required Component of reliable

Description
scientific public opinion poll

Random sample
Sample size
Sampling error/margin of error
Question Wording
Reliable Respondents
 Table Convo + Reading Review

List as many reasons as possible a

poll might have inaccurate or
unreliable results.
 Why might a poll have inaccurate results?
• The sample itself
• Not random
• Not representative
• Too small (want between 1000-2000 respondents)
• Wording of Questions
• Biased Questions, Loaded Language, Push Polling
• Unreliable respondents
• Social Desirability Bias
• Some respondents don’t take poll seriously/want to end it as soon as
possible
• Some respondents don’t know enough about the topic to give a
thoughtful answer
• Some make up answers so as not to seem ill informed
• For some the issue isn’t salient
 Watch Video: ‘’How to Read a Political Poll’’

Instructions: What tips does the video give to help

you determine if you can trust a poll?(Video)
● Type your notes here
How do you know if you can trust a public opinion poll?

• Check the poll’s methodology

– This is where pollsters explain how they conducted the poll.
– Usually listed at bottom of poll/last page of analysis.
• Methodology will include:
– Dates the poll was given (Want it as current as possible)
– # of people polled (1000-2000)
– Certain characteristics about the sample
• Example: # of registered voters
– How surveys were conducted (Phone/In-Person)
– Margin of error/sampling error (+/- 2-3%)
• Confidence Level: Confidence Level of most reputable polls is 95%. Meaning the
pollsters are 95% sure the poll results will fall somewhere within the margin of
error.
 Assignment: You Can Trust This Poll
•Choose a recent public opinion poll and review the methodology used to
conduct the poll.
•After determining that the polling data can be trusted, post a discussion
post in which you explain:
1.A summary of the result of the poll (If the poll asks multiple questions,
you can choose one question from that poll to summarize.)
2.Why you trust that the polling data is accurate.
3.What interests you the most about the poll or polling data you
reviewed.
4.A link to the poll