Political Polling Practice Quiz
In 2014, a poll reported that 51 percent of Americans support legislation to reduce carbon emissions, while 47 percent oppose it. The reported margin of sampling error was +/- 4 percent. Which of the following inferences can be made from the poll?
It is unclear whether more people support legislation to reduce carbon emissions than oppose it.
Which of the following best describes an exit poll?
A poll that asks voters at randomly selected voting places whom they voted for so that election results can be predicted more quickly
Which of the following represents the most likely way the information in the table will be used?
Congress will use the data to suggest that there is support for their legislative proposals.
Which of the following is likely true about midterm elections that would have taken place in 2018 based on the data in the line graph?
Economic issues were less likely to be discussed in the 2018 midterm elections than in the 2012 presidential elections.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of an exit poll and a tracking poll?
Exit Poll - Responses can be used to judge election results before the official count is obtained. Tracking Poll - The poll is conducted over time to obtain information about changes in public opinion.
*Agree-Disagree v. Forced Choice Questions* *Agree-Disagree* The best way to ensure peace is through military strength. (55% agree, 42% disagree) *Forced Choice* The best way to ensure peace is through military strength (33%) OR Diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace (55%) Source: Pew Research Center, 1999. Based on the information provided, which of the following most likely explains the difference in result of the two polls?
Framing of question
Which of the following is a likely public policy result of the data on the line graph?
Public policies that create jobs but increase the deficit, such as tax cuts or infrastructure spending, will likely be prioritized over paying down the national debt.
*Agree-Disagree v. Forced Choice Questions* *Agree-Disagree* The best way to ensure peace is through military strength. (55% agree, 42% disagree) *Forced Choice* The best way to ensure peace is through military strength (33%) OR Diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace (55%) Source: Pew Research Center, 1999. Based on the outcome of the polls, which of the following is likely true about questions that use the agree-disagree format?
Questions that use the agree-disagree format increase the percentage of respondents who agree with the primary statement.
A polling firm tried to predict the results of an election by sampling 1,000 adults within a state for two days prior to the election, using landline telephones of likely voters. After the election, the firm found that their poll results were not close to the actual election results. Which of the following recommendations would be the best for the firm to follow in the future?
Sample people who have cell phones, in addition to those with landlines.
Which of the following is most important for getting an accurate measure of public opinion in a survey?
Selecting a random sample
Which of the following is a limitation of the data when drawing a conclusion about the most important problem facing the country in 2017 ?
The data were collected in a short time frame, which does not reveal full-year trends.
Which of the following best explains the data in the line graph?
The economy is likely the most important issue because it is a broader category that is more open to individual interpretation than both jobs and the budget deficit.
A 2013 YouGov poll question asked, "President Obama says the 1975 Public Affairs Act should be repealed. Do you agree or disagree?" The results showed that 13 percent of Democrats agreed and 39 percent of Republicans disagreed. However, the 1975 Public Affairs Act is fictitious. Which of the following is illustrated by the scenario?
The type of information given in a poll question can affect how individuals respond.
*Agree-Disagree v. Forced Choice Questions* *Agree-Disagree* The best way to ensure peace is through military strength. (55% agree, 42% disagree) *Forced Choice* The best way to ensure peace is through military strength (33%) OR Diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace (55%) Source: Pew Research Center, 1999. Which of the following is the best conclusion a polling group might draw from the results of the two polls?
Using an agree-or-disagree format encourages respondents to agree with the position.
A media organization is interested in reporting election results in a congressional election prior to the final tally of votes which will not occur until later in the evening. The organization randomly selects several polling places across the district asking voters whom they voted for. The type of poll being used in this scenario is known as
an exit poll
Candidates for political office use public opinion polls for all of the following purposes EXCEPT to
bring the opposition's opinions into alignment with those of the candidate
In a public opinion poll, a polling company used an online survey tool to randomly contact respondents who did not have telephone lines in addition to contacting people over the phone. Which of the following best explains this decision?
The company wanted to ensure that the sample of the population was truly random.