One of the ways to learn what people are thinking about current problems is what things they want. This is by their reactions to their daily life through polls of public opinion. It is often possible to determine how millions of people feel about any matter of common interest by asking a smaller number of people by a much larger group called a sampling. Through the polling of small samples many things can be learned about public opinion in a very short span of time and at little expense.
The public opinion polls have been around for a long time, it has became an accepted part of modern life. Almost every day thousands of internet viewers worldwide quote some poll result on a question of current interest. People and organizations who use polls regularly or occasionally to secure reliable information about all sorts of political, social, economic conditions including government bureaus, radio and television networks, motion-picture producers, industrial firms and many others.
Polling is primarily an instrument for finding out about people's needs, preferences and options. It is also well adapted to the collection of data concerning housing, employment statistics, health, information levels and countless other factual characteristics of the population or sub-group within a population. Polls serve an important function in today's society where communications and co-operative action extend over wide areas and large numbers of people.
The polls results if they are presumed to be trustworthy, the poll must be carefully and competently planned and carried out. There are six basic steps involved in polling: They are, select the sample, pretest the questions, exactly define the objectives, formulate the questions, interview the sample and tabulate analyzing the results.
The first important task facing anyone who conducts a poll of opinion is to determine just what it is he wants to know. If for example the main purpose is to find out how the American people feel about the United Nations, the essential first step is to pick out the particular aspects of this broad subject that will be investigated. It has to be decided also, whether it is sufficient to find out only what people's attitudes and opinions are. It may be important to know why they feel and think as they do...How intensely they hold their views, will rest on the extent to which they are informed about the subject matter. The likely bearing of their views will show on the way they will act.
As a result of this phase of the planning, it should be borne in mind that people cannot be expected to know anything about or to be interested in a great many topics. Topics that excite some people may not even interest other people. Issues that a few people know all about may be completely unknown to a large part of a population. Questions concerning tariff policy can be asked meaningful only of people who know what a tariff is. Unless the purpose of the poll, is to find out just how widespread ignorance and misunderstanding are in the picture.
Author Resource:
G Wayne Cooper stays busy with article writing, e-books and speaking, sharing tips with you on his blog. He comes from a colorful background in earlier days as a race horse jockey, sailor, marathon runner to name just a few. "Coop" enjoys networking with friends and new associate's around the globe. http://speakingoutrageousinpublic.blogspot.com
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