Good, Bad and Ugly Polls

Paper Summary:

The paper explains how the article "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Public Opinion Polls" classifies polls into good, bad and ugly categories. The paper relates that "good" polls use primary source information and are very open about their sources of information, so readers can check facts for themselves. The paper contrasts this to the "bad" polls, which are manipulations of information and poll results, and which do not reveal links to sources for polling information. The paper then discusses how advocacy groups can sometimes create "ugly" polls in the interests of specifically manipulating facts or bring a polling agency into disrepute, an unethical practice.

From the Paper:

"This website makes a crucial explanation of the difference between polls. It points out that polls in their purest form as we know them are meant to inform the public regarding general public opinion in a sampling of large sectors of the population. The site seeks to point out to students who are just learning how the world works how they can identify the difference between polls, which the author categorizes into the three categories of the good, the bad and the ugly (Renka, http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/renka/Renka_papers/polls.htm). The author is concerned about the amount of bad polls that are on the internet, which can be further subdivided into bad polls and ugly polls."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Father's Manifesto. "The Christian Party: Abortion." 2008: http://www.christianparty.net/gallup.htm
• Renka, Russell. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Public Opinion Polls." October 2, 2008: http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/renka/Renka_papers/polls.htm
• Scenic America. "Opinion Polls." 2008: http://www.scenic.org/billboards/background/opinion

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