Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know

by Herbert Asher

Overview

Polling and the Public helps readers become savvy consumers of public opinion polls, offering solid grounding on how the media cover them, their use in campaigns and elections, and their interpretation. This trusted, brief guide by Herb Asher also provides a non-technical explanation of the methodology of polling so that students become informed participants in political discourse. Fully updated with new data and scholarship, the Ninth Edition examines recent elections and the use and misuse of polls in campaigns, and delivers new coverage of web-based and smartphone polling.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506352428
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	08/16/2016
Edition description:	Ninth Edition
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Dr. Herb Asher is professor emeritus of political science at The Ohio State University and counselor to the university president. He previously served as special assistant to the university president for government relations and founding director of the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy. He is frequently called upon as an expert political analyst by local and national media.
Dr. Asher earned his degrees at Bucknell University (B.S. Mathematics) and the University of Michigan (M.A. & PH.D. in political science).

Dr. Asher serves as faculty adviser to several student organizations, including the Undergraduate Student Government, the College Democrats, and two fraternities. He also serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of Hillel and formerly served as faculty adviser to the College Republicans.

Dr. Asher is a former member and chair of the Ohio Ethics Commission and a member of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Community Research Partners, a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Columbus Metropolitan Club, and former president of the Ohio State University Faculty Club.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter 1: Polling and the Public
The Importance of Polls
The Pervasiveness of Polls
Commissioned Polls
FRUGging, SUGging, and Pseudopolls
The Citizen as a Consumer of Polls
Citizens' Views of Polls
Polling and Democracy
Exercises
Chapter 2: The Problem of Nonattitudes
An Example of Nonattitudes
The Use of Screening Questions
Nonattitudes and the Middle Position in Survey Questions
Response Instability and Nonattitudes
Implications for Democracy and Public Policy
Conclusion
Exercises
Chapter 3: Wording and Context of Questions
Question Wording
Question Order and Context
Order, Context, and Visual Effects in Self-Administered Surveys
An Extended Example
Conclusion
Exercises
Chapter 4: Sampling Techniques
Nonprobability Sampling
Sampling Designs
Sample Size and Sampling Error
Total Versus Actual Sample Size
Response Rates
Weighting the Sample
Two Extended Examples
Conclusion
Exercises
Chapter 5: Interviewing and Data Collection Procedures
Methods of Collecting Polling Information
Interviewer Effects in Public Opinion Polling
Internet Polling
Conclusion
Exercises
Chapter 6: The Media and the Polls
Standards for Reporting Results
Substantive Interpretation of Polls
Media, Polls, and the News Reporting Emphasis
Conclusion
Exercises
Chapter 7: Polls and Elections
Sponsors of Election Polls
Types of Election Polls
Uses of Polls by Candidates
Polls in the Presidential Selection Process
When and Why Election Predictions Are Wrong
How Preelection Polls Affect Voters
Conclusion
Exercises
Chapter 8: Analyzing and Interpreting Polls
Choosing Items to Analyze
Examining Trends with Polling Data
Examining Subsets of Respondents
Interpreting Poll Results
When Polls Conflict and When Polls Surprise: Some Final Thoughts
Exercises
Chapter 9: Polling and Democracy
How to Evaluate Polls: A Summary
Polls and Their Effect on the Political System
Conclusion
Exercise
Websites
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

Polling the Public brings a wonderful sense of humor that would incite my students to talk about it during their next class period. It is very straightforward in manner, not reliant on jargon, and accessible to undergraduates and grad students who haven’t had many classes in public opinion. This book’s straightforward approach is useful to instructors by providing a thorough introduction to the complexities and nuances of the field.

Justin Wedeking

Polling the Public is enjoyable to read and quite accessible. Students don’t need to have a course in statistics to understand the material, which makes it particularly useful for those with varied academic backgrounds. Polling the Public is perfect for students who are interested in learning about all aspects of polling, from sampling to the interpretation of results. They will also benefit from the book's excellent discussions of the critical benefits and drawbacks of polling as a way of measuring public opinion. The book is well written and uses current and attention-grabbing examples.

Jennifer Bachner

"Polling and the Public is essential reading for any course on public opinion or survey research methods. My students have found Asher's lively writing style to be an engaging introduction to complex ideas, from survey sampling to the nature and measurement of attitudes. And just as important for the study of politics, Asher introduces students to broader theories about the place of polling within democratic governing institutions. Asher covers the art and science of polling, while providing students with a foundation of knowledge to understand current controversies in public opinion research."

H. Whitt Kilburn

Asher’s Polling and the Public has been a mainstay in public opinion courses for the last two decades. This is not an accident. It is unrivaled as an introductory guide to the foundations of measuring and understanding public opinion. This latest edition does not disappoint. Students will continue to get Asher’s straightforward and clear approach that includes all the new developments in polling and public opinion.

Jason Gainous

I’ve used Polling and the Public for several years in my courses. The book is pitched perfectly for the undergraduate reader: the concepts are clearly explained, the examples are memorable, and the comics engage students’ interest. As a political science professor, I also appreciate the way in which Asher addresses how polling fits into bigger questions about democracy.

Travis N. Ridout

Although information from public opinion polls is ubiquitous<-- >wielded by political candidates, the media, and all kinds of organizations hoping to prove a point<-->polling is poorly understood by most people. Asher (emeritus, political science, Ohio State U.) explains how surveys are constructed, conducted, and interpreted. He covers polling in campaign politics and media coverage and discusses issues such how a survey's questions influence the very attitudes they purport to measure. It's intended for students of political science, public opinion, communications, and journalism as well as for reporters, editors, and campaign managers; also useful for general readers who want to better understand the numbers in the news. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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