Pseudopolls are those that lack many of the scientific research principles found in actual public opinion polls. These are increasing in frequency with the advancement of technology, with techniques on websites and text messaging polls. Often these are found through media that is already providing information on the topic. Their is little or no control over who takes the poll and it doesn't link to any other question. People opt-in when they take. Usually the people who do already have invested interest in the topic.
If you are reading my blog, it is likely that you are a student at Illinois State University in POL 312. So, look in the left column. I've created a pseudopoll. I'm not controlling over how many times you click on your answer or who you are. For all I know, you could work in admissions and want ISU to have a really positive image.
So entertain me- take it!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Cross-National Analysis
Cross-national analysis takes polls on the same topic in different countries and compares the results of public opinion on a topic. While each country has its differences in educating its people, there is difficulty in finding a poll that examines the same issue.
However, a World Public Opinion poll examines the opinions of people in different countries and the satisfaction of the education in their own particular country. This poll looks at whether people feel that should provide people with basic needs and their level of satisfication with each topic, education being one.
The first questioned addressed was whether government is addressed is whether the government is responsible for providing education.
The poll suggests that public opinion around the world is that the majority feel that the government is responsible, with few countries below 90%. I think that one reason for differences between countries is that people expect different things from their governments. In some countries, education may considered a privilege. In others, it may be that their are more options in private schooling and less emphasis on public schooling.
The other question regarding education was on how well the government is fulfilling the need of education.
The article explains that Kenya has a higher positive view towards the government efforts in education because of recent reform. I think lack of positive reform or less of an issue may result in lower opinion in the other countries. Once again, cultural expectations of what a government should do could play in less favorable results. Or as a culture the country could have higher standards. While my blog will primarily focus on American education, I find it interesting to see opinion on other countries. It makes me wish I knew more about the education systems in other countries.
However, a World Public Opinion poll examines the opinions of people in different countries and the satisfaction of the education in their own particular country. This poll looks at whether people feel that should provide people with basic needs and their level of satisfication with each topic, education being one.
The first questioned addressed was whether government is addressed is whether the government is responsible for providing education.
The poll suggests that public opinion around the world is that the majority feel that the government is responsible, with few countries below 90%. I think that one reason for differences between countries is that people expect different things from their governments. In some countries, education may considered a privilege. In others, it may be that their are more options in private schooling and less emphasis on public schooling.
The other question regarding education was on how well the government is fulfilling the need of education.
The article explains that Kenya has a higher positive view towards the government efforts in education because of recent reform. I think lack of positive reform or less of an issue may result in lower opinion in the other countries. Once again, cultural expectations of what a government should do could play in less favorable results. Or as a culture the country could have higher standards. While my blog will primarily focus on American education, I find it interesting to see opinion on other countries. It makes me wish I knew more about the education systems in other countries.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Ideas for Design a Poll Assignment
This blog post is my brainstorming for the first portfolio assignment of designing a poll. Any comments would be helpful on creation for this first assignment :)
Overview
While I had the broad topic of Education for this assignment, I decided that I needed to select one topic or polling. For this poll, I have chosen to stick to public opinion on kindergarten to 12th grade schooling in the United States. I liked the ideas found in the last poll I posted in my blog. I would like to test public opinion on the conditions found in primary and secondary schools across the United States. While No Child Left Behind was under public scrutiny in the early 2000s, I would like to ask questions pertaining to find if the public feels that its changes to the education system were effective or unnecessary.
Sampling
For this survey, I would like to target parents, students and teachers and their varying opinions. To get an adequate number of teachers, I will try to survey using contact information from a professional organization or a list from those who subscribe to an education magazine. While I would like to obtain survey results from students, I think this may be difficult. If poll is administrated at school, most likely parental consent would be needed. I am not sure how feasible it would be to obtain these results. I believe that I would be able to capture parents opinion using phone interviews.
Nonattitudes and Insincerity
In my poll, I will be trying to focus on the audiences that are already involved in the education system. I feel that by targeting select public, it will cut down on the amount of nonattitudes. I also plan on including “no opinion” options. The only problem I see arising is people wanting the best for children. I feel that this will result in people finding more issues than really exist.
Questionnaire Design
I will begin with demographic questions. I will be including questions on what group they belong to (teacher, parent, student, other). I will also be including whether they are at a public school or private school. There might be a difference in the problems faced by the type of school. I will also ask if they feel the kindergarten through 12 schools need improvement. In my questions, I will include a “no opinion” response. I will give multiple choice and open ended.
Poll Administration
I plan on utilizing phone interviews to adults. If I was able to interview students, I would use an actual interviewer. However, I feel that students might not open up to a stranger.
Data Analysis and Reporting
I feel that these results should be reported in a place that would affect policy implementation. By reaching school administration and decision makers, I feel that the actual things that need to be changed can be.
This is the beginning ideas on my poll design…more to come!
Overview
While I had the broad topic of Education for this assignment, I decided that I needed to select one topic or polling. For this poll, I have chosen to stick to public opinion on kindergarten to 12th grade schooling in the United States. I liked the ideas found in the last poll I posted in my blog. I would like to test public opinion on the conditions found in primary and secondary schools across the United States. While No Child Left Behind was under public scrutiny in the early 2000s, I would like to ask questions pertaining to find if the public feels that its changes to the education system were effective or unnecessary.
Sampling
For this survey, I would like to target parents, students and teachers and their varying opinions. To get an adequate number of teachers, I will try to survey using contact information from a professional organization or a list from those who subscribe to an education magazine. While I would like to obtain survey results from students, I think this may be difficult. If poll is administrated at school, most likely parental consent would be needed. I am not sure how feasible it would be to obtain these results. I believe that I would be able to capture parents opinion using phone interviews.
Nonattitudes and Insincerity
In my poll, I will be trying to focus on the audiences that are already involved in the education system. I feel that by targeting select public, it will cut down on the amount of nonattitudes. I also plan on including “no opinion” options. The only problem I see arising is people wanting the best for children. I feel that this will result in people finding more issues than really exist.
Questionnaire Design
I will begin with demographic questions. I will be including questions on what group they belong to (teacher, parent, student, other). I will also be including whether they are at a public school or private school. There might be a difference in the problems faced by the type of school. I will also ask if they feel the kindergarten through 12 schools need improvement. In my questions, I will include a “no opinion” response. I will give multiple choice and open ended.
Poll Administration
I plan on utilizing phone interviews to adults. If I was able to interview students, I would use an actual interviewer. However, I feel that students might not open up to a stranger.
Data Analysis and Reporting
I feel that these results should be reported in a place that would affect policy implementation. By reaching school administration and decision makers, I feel that the actual things that need to be changed can be.
This is the beginning ideas on my poll design…more to come!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Public Opinion on Improving Schools
Not only have I wanted to observe public opinion on college education but also the education of k-12. According to an August 25, 2009 Gallup poll, the best solution for improving the education system is better teachers. The poll was conducting using open-ended questions. Some did not provide answers or said, "no opinion." By having the poll be open-ended, it created less problems with people taking attitudes that they otherwise do not hold.
The results indicated that over half had a negative view of the U.S. education system. I feel that this is a result of the wording of the questions. They began with "What is the best way of improving our school system?" This is to indicate that there is a problem already.
The poll did take into account that people are moving away from land-lines and also included cell phone interviews.
I found it interesting that very few mentioned No Child Left Behind, a national reform to education that in the past had gotten plenty of discussion. With this issue, people were more concerned with resolving issues on a local level.
The results indicated that over half had a negative view of the U.S. education system. I feel that this is a result of the wording of the questions. They began with "What is the best way of improving our school system?" This is to indicate that there is a problem already.
The poll did take into account that people are moving away from land-lines and also included cell phone interviews.
I found it interesting that very few mentioned No Child Left Behind, a national reform to education that in the past had gotten plenty of discussion. With this issue, people were more concerned with resolving issues on a local level.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Back to Education and Nonattitudes
Sorry I have not been posting on my blog. It seems I have had a lot of other things with my student organizations and have put my education on the back burner (how ironic). So my goal is to work on catching up.
In this post, I will be explaining nonattitudes in public opinion and how it pertains to my issue. Nonattitudes is when someone takes an opinion when in reality they do not hold any position. It can be caused because the person is uninformed or because they feel that it is important to hold a position.
Nonattitudes occur usually when the public opinion is taken with at least one of the four following situations: state and local issues, international issues, policy minutia, and low salience.
When taking public opinion on education issues, I feel that it could be very likely that nonattitudes would affect the poll. Usually, education issues are dealed with at the state and local issues. The policy most closely affecting education occurs at this level with local school districts and state policy dealing with education. Depending on what the poll asks, policy minutia could be in play. If the poll were to ask specific details with jargon, the respondent may take a certain attitude. Finally, depending at the time, education issues could be of low salience. If they were asking opinion about education, it might be more salient at the back to school time or f there is a huge issue but the rest of the year there might not be as much discussion.
When looking at polls dealing with education this semester, I hope to be able to evaluate if nonattitudes were involved.
In this post, I will be explaining nonattitudes in public opinion and how it pertains to my issue. Nonattitudes is when someone takes an opinion when in reality they do not hold any position. It can be caused because the person is uninformed or because they feel that it is important to hold a position.
Nonattitudes occur usually when the public opinion is taken with at least one of the four following situations: state and local issues, international issues, policy minutia, and low salience.
When taking public opinion on education issues, I feel that it could be very likely that nonattitudes would affect the poll. Usually, education issues are dealed with at the state and local issues. The policy most closely affecting education occurs at this level with local school districts and state policy dealing with education. Depending on what the poll asks, policy minutia could be in play. If the poll were to ask specific details with jargon, the respondent may take a certain attitude. Finally, depending at the time, education issues could be of low salience. If they were asking opinion about education, it might be more salient at the back to school time or f there is a huge issue but the rest of the year there might not be as much discussion.
When looking at polls dealing with education this semester, I hope to be able to evaluate if nonattitudes were involved.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
First Presentation
For my first poll, I chose one that might catch the attention of others in the class considering it is about college. Earlier this year, President Obama addressed Congress and outlined four major priorities. One of these priorities is to provide every child in America a college education. To find the opinion of whether people believed that every child should go to college,Rasmussen Reports conducted a phone interview of 1,000 Americans May 4-5, 2009. The poll results suggested that 56% of American adults say every American should attend college, while 30% disagree and 13% are not sure. THe wording of the question said post-secondary school, so to include vocational schools as a form of college.
The poll also asked, “In America today, can just about any good student who wants to attend college find a way to do so?”
54% said yes
31% said no
16% not sure
The final question asked what is a more important role for the government- helping the best and brightest or aiding low income students?
30% helping the best and brightest students
41% aiding low income students
29% not sure
The report for this poll discussed variances on the responses based on two other demographics: political party affiliation and income level. An idea I thought that might have been interesting was to include whether the respondent had attended post-secondary schooling- this would be neat to see if they went if they felt it was important or unnecessary.
As discussed in class, the type of questions asked were direction, as in all were pro or con.
For more information, visit the poll.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/may_2009/56_say_every_american_should_attend_college
The poll also asked, “In America today, can just about any good student who wants to attend college find a way to do so?”
54% said yes
31% said no
16% not sure
The final question asked what is a more important role for the government- helping the best and brightest or aiding low income students?
30% helping the best and brightest students
41% aiding low income students
29% not sure
The report for this poll discussed variances on the responses based on two other demographics: political party affiliation and income level. An idea I thought that might have been interesting was to include whether the respondent had attended post-secondary schooling- this would be neat to see if they went if they felt it was important or unnecessary.
As discussed in class, the type of questions asked were direction, as in all were pro or con.
For more information, visit the poll.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/may_2009/56_say_every_american_should_attend_college
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Beginning my Issue Blog
Hi, my name is Sarah Phillippe. I am a senior double majoring in Political Science and Public Relations. I’m pretty excited about this class because I feel that it will be combining political issues with many of the topics discussed in my public relations classes. I have never blogged before and this will be a great experience as social networking is being used more as a P.R. technique.
For the semester, I have chosen the topic of education for my blogging. I have several family members who have different careers in the education system. Also, many of my close friends are starting their teaching careers, something I’m sure others in the class have in common. I feel that this topic can be explored through various subtopics such as public opinion on higher education and the achievement gap. Hope to post again soon!
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