ASSIGNMENT: Find two public opinion polls from 2014 or later, one of which offers weak support for its conclusion, the other of which offers strong support for its conclusion. The polls can be about any topic. Answer the following questions about each of the polls:
What is the property in question (what question is asked of the sample population)?
What is the sample size, and is the sample size large enough to avoid hastiness?
From where was the sample population taken (what types of people are included in the sample)?
What was the methodology in selecting the sample? Was it randomly selected? If so, explain the precise method of random selection (Do not simply say "telephone survey." Do not simply say "randomly selected telephone survey. Be specific! Do not say "the survey did not say how the sample was selected." Choose a survey from a polling organization that does reveal the method of selecting the sample, or do research on the survey or polling organization by going to their web site. You must have a precise and detailed answer to this question!
See the sample assignment submission PDF for an example of how this question can be answered relatively successfully.) Or was the sample selected in some other way, i.e. self-selection?
Were there any opportunities for bias (as defined in chapter 10) to creep into the sample? Explain.
What is the target population?