The Problem with Polling

Ok, so, somebody explain to me how the fuck this works. CNN is forever doing these articles reporting on the results of "polls" which, ostensibly, is a reflection of the mass populace. Right?

Wrong. I don't believe for a second you can get any sort of real statistical value out of 1,019 people surveyed with a "plus or minus 3 percentage point error." I mean, SERIOUSLY? THIS is what supposedly reputable news sources do?

Come ON!

Televised news has been a joke since........the inception of television.

i think Ed Murrow would disagree with you.^

but yeah, it is in a sad state today.

  T35513R said:

Ok, so, somebody explain to me how the fuck this works. CNN is forever doing these articles reporting on the results of "polls" which, ostensibly, is a reflection of the mass populace. Right?

 

Wrong. I don't believe for a second you can get any sort of real statistical value out of 1,019 people surveyed with a "plus or minus 3 percentage point error." I mean, SERIOUSLY? THIS is what supposedly reputable news sources do?

 

 

Come ON!

This is the kind of stuff they cover in any first year statistics course, you have to take a sample of the population because you can't aks everybody, innit?

ha ha, sucks being an american

one love

  Bob Dobalina said:

  T35513R said:

Ok, so, somebody explain to me how the fuck this works. CNN is forever doing these articles reporting on the results of "polls" which, ostensibly, is a reflection of the mass populace. Right?

 

Wrong. I don't believe for a second you can get any sort of real statistical value out of 1,019 people surveyed with a "plus or minus 3 percentage point error." I mean, SERIOUSLY? THIS is what supposedly reputable news sources do?

 

 

Come ON!

This is the kind of stuff they cover in any first year statistics course, you have to take a sample of the population because you can't aks everybody, innit?

Right . . . but we're talking about 1,019 out of, say, THREE HUNDRED MILLION people (in the U.S. alone). Not to mention, the wealth of people who may not use phones (or have phones) or those who use cell phones exclusively.

I mean, really COME ON

okay then, how many would you poll?

  assegai said:

middle aged sonic the hedgehog.jpg

  Bob Dobalina said:

you have to take a sample of the population because you can't aks everybody, innit?

unless your iceland...

Unless my Iceland what?

unless your iceland i didnt say banana!