How Many People to Survey?
Poll results are prevalent in the media, especially leading up to elections, as are reports on surveys done by universities and research groups. The survey results of small groups of people are used to portray a general consensus about a population. Do you ever wonder how many people should be included in a survey to make it a meaningful reflection of a population? Now you will be able to answer your own question. After learning this, you might never feel the same about these polls and surveys again.
Using the following specific resources, create a lecture (with citations) that includes the following:
Part 1: Survey Analysis
Entertainment Survey
Using a newspaper article from the AIU library's full-text database: Newsstand (ProQuest), create a lecture (with citations) that includes the following:
Describe an entertainment poll or survey. Analyze the number of people who participated in the sample compared to the number in the population. Most news articles will not provide information on the number of people surveyed. In this case, critique the validity of the results. (Be sure to cite the article which must be from Newsstand ProQuest) Here is a Research Guide. (Attached)
Discuss how the results of the survey can be used to tell a story or support an idea of the sponsoring company or media group.
Political Survey
Use polls from one of the following sources:
Source 1 - http://www.people-press.org/question-search/
Source 2 - http://www.gallup.com/Home.aspx
Describe a political poll or survey. Analyze the number of people who participated in the sample compared to the number in the population.
Discuss how the results of the survey can be used to tell a story or support an idea of the sponsoring company or media group.
General Survey
Use polls from one of the following sources:
Source 1 - http://www.people-press.org/question-search/
Source 2 - http://www.gallup.com/Home.aspx
Describe a general opinion poll or survey. Analyze the number of people who participated in the sample compared to the number in the population.
Discuss how the results of the survey can be used to tell a story or support an idea of the sponsoring company or media group.
Overview
Consider the 3 surveys presented.
Using the knowledge you learned from the textbook, compare and contrast the sample sizes in each of the three surveys mentioned in the post and determine if the samples sizes are appropriate.
In your opinion, which appears to be the most valid? (Cite and reference the textbook).