Activity 9.2
Evaluating Samples Reported Along with Poll Results by the Popular Press

The results of public opinion polls are reported by the news media nearly every day. Accurate and complete reporting of polls requires a description of the sample used. Locate and record reports of public opinion polls provided by a national newspaper like the New York Times or Washington Post, a local newspaper, a network television news organization, and a local television news station. Evaluate the information provided by each in terms of samples. What additional information could have been provided so you could evaluate the representativeness of the samples?