Question 1

Typically,the margin of error in a sample of 1,000 will be about 10 percent.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Which type of survey question is best suited to addressing concerns about public opinion polls that contain a limited number of response options?

Accepted Answer

A)  yes-or-no questions 
B)  approve-or-disapprove questions 
C)  "feeling thermometer" questions 
D)  tracking questions 
A)  yes-or-no questions 
B)  approve-or-disapprove questions 
C)  "feeling thermometer" questions 
D)  tracking questions

Question 3

Of the following,which is a demographic characteristic that often affects a citizen's political opinions?

Accepted Answer

A)  employability 
B)  gender 
C)  candidates' policy positions 
D)  partisanship 
A)  employability 
B)  gender 
C)  candidates' policy positions 
D)  partisanship

Question 4

Researchers refer to the unintended influence of the questioner on respondents during in-person interviews as __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  question bias 
B)  the margin of error 
C)  interviewer bias 
D)  self-selection 
A)  question bias 
B)  the margin of error 
C)  interviewer bias 
D)  self-selection

Question 5

Assess the challenges of conducting a public opinion poll about political tensions in Southeast Asia.

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1.Explain that A

Question 6

How a question is worded on a public opinion poll can intentionally or unintentionally skew results.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Which of the following is the clearest example of a question that might be found on a push poll?

Accepted Answer

A)  Are you familiar with Rosemary Austin's voting record on tax subsidies for energy producers? 
B)  Would you approve or disapprove of the job that Rosemary Austin is doing if you knew that she never even reads the legislation before voting to spend your tax dollars? 
C)  Do you plan to vote for Rosemary Austin for the House of Representatives this November? 
D)  Do you approve or disapprove of the job that Rosemary Austin is doing? 
A)  Are you familiar with Rosemary Austin's voting record on tax subsidies for energy producers? 
B)  Would you approve or disapprove of the job that Rosemary Austin is doing if you knew that she never even reads the legislation before voting to spend your tax dollars? 
C)  Do you plan to vote for Rosemary Austin for the House of Representatives this November? 
D)  Do you approve or disapprove of the job that Rosemary Austin is doing?

Question 8

Cable and Internet news sources are often skewed.This can affect these citizens' opinions about politics.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Of the following topics,which is more likely than the others to be subject to a screening procedure in a public opinion poll?

Accepted Answer

A)  crime prevention 
B)  illegal drug use 
C)  the federal budget 
D)  health care 
A)  crime prevention 
B)  illegal drug use 
C)  the federal budget 
D)  health care

Question 10

Telephone polls are the most frequently used mechanism by which to gauge the mood of the electorate.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Why is Walter Lippmann credited with spurring the growth of public opinion polling?

Accepted Answer

A)  Lippmann tried to predict the winner of the presidential contest between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. 
B)  Lippmann was a pioneer in the use of the straw poll. 
C)  Lippmann wrote a book in which he observed that research on public opinion was far too limited, especially in light of its importance 
D)  Lippmann discovered three fatal errors in the Literary Digest poll that wrongly predicted that Republican Alfred M. Landon would beat incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 
A)  Lippmann tried to predict the winner of the presidential contest between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. 
B)  Lippmann was a pioneer in the use of the straw poll. 
C)  Lippmann wrote a book in which he observed that research on public opinion was far too limited, especially in light of its importance 
D)  Lippmann discovered three fatal errors in the Literary Digest poll that wrongly predicted that Republican Alfred M. Landon would beat incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Question 12

__________ are conducted as voters leave the polling place and are used by the media to predict the outcome of the election.

Accepted Answer

The answer of __________ are conducted as voters leave the...

Question 13

Which of the following is a disadvantage of surveying the public using traditional telephone polls?

Accepted Answer

A)  Many people do not have landlines. 
B)  Pollsters are no longer exempt from federal do-not-call lists. 
C)  Pollsters are no longer exempt from state do-not-call lists. 
D)  Polling is a form of constitutionally protected speech. 
A)  Many people do not have landlines. 
B)  Pollsters are no longer exempt from federal do-not-call lists. 
C)  Pollsters are no longer exempt from state do-not-call lists. 
D)  Polling is a form of constitutionally protected speech.

Question 14

When have Gallup's predictions been the least accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  when there has been a female candidate 
B)  when there is a prominent third-party candidate 
C)  during economic crises 
D)  when the incumbent is seeking reelection 
A)  when there has been a female candidate 
B)  when there is a prominent third-party candidate 
C)  during economic crises 
D)  when the incumbent is seeking reelection

Question 15

Which of the following statements best describes the interaction between public opinion and public policy in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A)  Public opinion can affect policy. 
B)  Public opinion can only affect short-term policy. 
C)  Public opinion only affects policy during national crises. 
D)  Public opinion has no discernible effect on policy. 
A)  Public opinion can affect policy. 
B)  Public opinion can only affect short-term policy. 
C)  Public opinion only affects policy during national crises. 
D)  Public opinion has no discernible effect on policy.

Question 16

A majority of first-year college students are liberal or far left.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

George Gallup incorrectly predicted the results of the 1936 election between Franklin D.Roosevelt and Alf Landon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

A polling firm has been commissioned by the New York Times to assess public opinion about the performance of FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency)during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.What should the firm do first?

Accepted Answer

A)  determine the population 
B)  determine the method of poll selection 
C)  contact respondents 
D)  select the sample 
A)  determine the population 
B)  determine the method of poll selection 
C)  contact respondents 
D)  select the sample

Question 19

In 1948,the Chicago Daily Tribune wrongly predicted that Republican Thomas E.Dewey would beat incumbent President Harry S.Truman.Knowing what you know about the accuracy of various polls,what kind of poll would most likely have led the Tribune to make this erroneous prediction?

Accepted Answer

A)  an exit poll 
B)  a push poll 
C)  a random-digit dialing poll 
D)  a straw poll 
A)  an exit poll 
B)  a push poll 
C)  a random-digit dialing poll 
D)  a straw poll

Question 20

In the context of public opinion polls,what is self-selection?

Accepted Answer

A)  a reference to the timing of public opinion polls that may skew survey results 
B)  a reference to the ability of respondents to decide whether to participate in surveys 
C)  a reference to long-term studies of the electorate invalidated by short-term biases 
D)  a reference to short-term studies of the electorate invalidated by long-term biases 
A)  a reference to the timing of public opinion polls that may skew survey results 
B)  a reference to the ability of respondents to decide whether to participate in surveys 
C)  a reference to long-term studies of the electorate invalidated by short-term biases 
D)  a reference to short-term studies of the electorate invalidated by long-term biases

Typically,the margin of error in a sample of 1,000 will be about 10 percent.

Which type of survey question is best suited to addressing concerns about public opinion polls that contain a limited number of response options?

Of the following,which is a demographic characteristic that often affects a citizen's political opinions?

Researchers refer to the unintended influence of the questioner on respondents during in-person interviews as __________.

Assess the challenges of conducting a public opinion poll about political tensions in Southeast Asia.

How a question is worded on a public opinion poll can intentionally or unintentionally skew results.

Which of the following is the clearest example of a question that might be found on a push poll?

Cable and Internet news sources are often skewed.This can affect these citizens' opinions about politics.

Of the following topics,which is more likely than the others to be subject to a screening procedure in a public opinion poll?

Telephone polls are the most frequently used mechanism by which to gauge the mood of the electorate.

Why is Walter Lippmann credited with spurring the growth of public opinion polling?

__________ are conducted as voters leave the polling place and are used by the media to predict the outcome of the election.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of surveying the public using traditional telephone polls?

When have Gallup's predictions been the least accurate?

Which of the following statements best describes the interaction between public opinion and public policy in the United States?

A majority of first-year college students are liberal or far left.

George Gallup incorrectly predicted the results of the 1936 election between Franklin D.Roosevelt and Alf Landon.

A polling firm has been commissioned by the New York Times to assess public opinion about the performance of FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency)during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.What should the firm do first?

In 1948,the Chicago Daily Tribune wrongly predicted that Republican Thomas E.Dewey would beat incumbent President Harry S.Truman.Knowing what you know about the accuracy of various polls,what kind of poll would most likely have led the Tribune to make this erroneous prediction?

In the context of public opinion polls,what is self-selection?

American Government: Roots, context, and Culture

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Exam 10: Public Opinion and Political Socialization

Typically,the margin of error in a sample of 1,000 will be about 10 percent.

Which type of survey question is best suited to addressing concerns about public opinion polls that contain a limited number of response options?

Of the following,which is a demographic characteristic that often affects a citizen's political opinions?

Researchers refer to the unintended influence of the questioner on respondents during in-person interviews as __________.

Assess the challenges of conducting a public opinion poll about political tensions in Southeast Asia.

How a question is worded on a public opinion poll can intentionally or unintentionally skew results.

Which of the following is the clearest example of a question that might be found on a push poll?

Cable and Internet news sources are often skewed.This can affect these citizens' opinions about politics.

Of the following topics,which is more likely than the others to be subject to a screening procedure in a public opinion poll?

Telephone polls are the most frequently used mechanism by which to gauge the mood of the electorate.

Why is Walter Lippmann credited with spurring the growth of public opinion polling?

__________ are conducted as voters leave the polling place and are used by the media to predict the outcome of the election.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of surveying the public using traditional telephone polls?

When have Gallup's predictions been the least accurate?

Which of the following statements best describes the interaction between public opinion and public policy in the United States?

A majority of first-year college students are liberal or far left.

George Gallup incorrectly predicted the results of the 1936 election between Franklin D.Roosevelt and Alf Landon.

A polling firm has been commissioned by the New York Times to assess public opinion about the performance of FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency)during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.What should the firm do first?

In 1948,the Chicago Daily Tribune wrongly predicted that Republican Thomas E.Dewey would beat incumbent President Harry S.Truman.Knowing what you know about the accuracy of various polls,what kind of poll would most likely have led the Tribune to make this erroneous prediction?

In the context of public opinion polls,what is self-selection?

American Government: Roots, context, and Culture

The Constitution

The Federal System

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Congress

The Presidency

The Executive Branch and the Federal Bureaucracy

The Judiciary

Political Parties

Elections and Voting

The Campaign Process

The News Media

Interest Groups

Domestic Policy

Economic Policy

Foreign and Defense Policy

Filters