Class #5: Interpreting Polls

• Boston Globe Political Polls
• New York Times Politics. Click the Poll Watch sidebar.

• National Council on Public Polling FAQ.

• How does Gallup Polling work? from the Gallup FAQ page.

  If you go to the homepage of either the NCPP or Gallup organizations you will find results of recent polls. You might look at recent newspapers to find accounts of them for your polling paper. Also of interest is the NCPP's 20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results.

Homework

1. In each of the two FAQ links above, read the interpretation of the margin of error statement. One gets it right, and one gets it wrong! In a few sentences or a concise paragraph, explain which is which.