What is the group of people actually surveyed in a poll called?
AnswerThe sample
Polls question a sample to estimate the wider population.
Society · Facts & stats
Poll facts & stats
7 fact-checked facts about polls, surveys and public opinion research, each with the reason behind it. 5 more are in today's round and join this page after it closes.
The basics
When are exit polls taken?
AnswerAs voters leave polling places
Exit polls ask people right after they vote.
Going deeper
In a simple random sample, every member of the population has what?
AnswerAn equal chance of being chosen
Equal chance is what makes the sample random.
What is a "push poll"?
AnswerPersuasion disguised as a survey
Push polls aim to sway opinion, not measure it.
Which confidence level is most often reported with poll results?
Answer95%
Most polls report a margin of error at 95% confidence.
Expert level
Which 1948 newspaper headline became famous after polls called the race wrong?
AnswerDewey Defeats Truman
Truman held up the Chicago Tribune's mistaken headline.
The agree-disagree rating scale used in surveys is named after whom?
AnswerRensis Likert
Likert introduced the scale in 1932.
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