Opinion Polls

Is it possible to understand how citizens perceive a specific issue? Luckily, the answer is yes. To do this, we carry out an opinion poll, a very versatile and valuable methodology.

This guide includes all the crucial information you need to understand and master this specific type of study. With it, you can acquire the right data in the right way. Let's learn how to understand people's opinions once and for all.

What is an opinion poll?

Opinion polls are similar to surveys or inquiries designed to gauge public opinion about a specific issue or a series of issues in a scientific and unbiased manner. Previously, polls were one-on-one interviews in which a trained interviewer asked questions to randomly chosen people representing the population.

With the evolution of online opinion surveys, traditional polling methods became distinct. Now, online polls conducted using an online poll maker software rule the polling methods. Furthermore, the online polling tools help in selecting a random sample of everyone in the population, ensuring unbiasedness in the public opinion poll results.

The development of 'public opinion' as a concept intimately connects to social, political, and economic changes that occurred over centuries. By 1936, people truly became aware of something called public opinion polls. Not long after that, some people started to think that such opinion polling practices threatened democracy. In addition, people began to question the legitimacy and method used to conduct polls.

An exciting fact about polls is that people believe in poll results, but not many believe in the scientific principles on which polling methods are based.

Conversely, many people believe that opinion polls do a commendable job of predicting election outcomes or measuring public outcomes on specific social issues.

Even then, researchers conduct opinion polls, and people participate in them. They provide a way to understand how people think and feel about any given topic.

Opinion polls example

Example 1: Marijuana Legalization Support (2019)

On April 14, 2019, CBS News conducted a series of public opinion polls to determine how many people think marijuana should be legalized. The result was terrific: A record high of 65% of people expressed their support for marijuana legalization.

CBS News conducted a series of opinion polls. The poll questions focused on marijuana and its legalization. In the same opinion polling series, they asked, 'Do they support legal marijuana use?' 65% said Yes.

One of the questions they asked in the same series was, 'Compared to most drugs, legal marijuana's impact on society is…?' 66% said it is Less Dangerous.

The next poll asked, 'Legalizing marijuana use is…?' 52% of respondents said, 'It's good for the local economy'.

Interestingly, CBS News linked its poll with the upcoming presidential election. The last question of the polling series was, 'If the presidential candidate supported legal marijuana…?' But the poll result dismayed many. About 56% of people said it made no difference to their voting choice.

Reference: CBS News

View Poll Questions

Example 2: Harris vs. Trump Election Polls (2024)

November 5, 2024: The New York Times and FiveThirtyEight conducted a series of polls to measure support for the presidential race between former Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald J. Trump. Nationally, it was a tie, with Harris up 1%.

The polling averages were also super close in several key swing states, with Harris and Donald Trump deadlocked. For example, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and North Carolina were tied 48-49. Harris was up 1 in Wisconsin, Donald Trump was up 1 in Georgia, and three percentage points in Arizona. In New York, The polling average at the start of November 5 had Harris winning by 16 percentage points.

Another question asked, "If the presidential candidate supported legal marijuana…?" But 56% of voters said that made no difference to their vote.

Neither candidate had enough clear leads across states to win 270. Harris and Donald Trump were within 1% in many states, so it was a historically close and wild ride for voters.

Reference: The New York Times

How to conduct an opinion poll?

Conducting an opinion poll involves a structured approach to gathering and analyzing people's thoughts on a particular issue, product, service, or topic. Here’s a step-by-step guide to conducting an opinion poll:

1. Setting up a sample

There are different ways to set up a sample. However, the two most commonly used methods perceived by many polling organizations are:

1. The controlled sample method
2. The area sampling method

Controlled Sample:

In a controlled sample method, the sample is set in a controlled manner, ensuring it contains a variety of people from different walks of life, making up the whole population. Before actually setting a controlled sample, there are a few questions to be answered.

For example, what people will bring value to the cross-section of a public opinion poll? Why does everyone have a different reaction to public questions? Do poor and rich people have different views on politics? Why are people in the south not very concerned about pressing issues in the north or west coast region?

Come up with similar questions, and you will need to include people from all sections and all corners to make up a sample of national polls. In a controlled sample, equal farmers and city dwellers are considered as a different set of people having different views on a particular topic.

The polling organizations have been addressing the sample-setting issue for years. Finally, they came up with mathematical techniques to set up samples. Although their theory is not an absolute solution, great care while selecting and setting up the sample reduces the margin of error. Here are a few considerations when choosing the right sample size.

1. Section of the country - East, South, North, Middle West, or West.
2. Type of community - Big city, small city, village, or farm.
3. Standard of living - Poor, average, or wealthy.
4. Gender - Male or female.
5. Age - Youth, middle-aged, or senior citizen.

Pollsters or researchers must understand that, before setting up the sample, certain facts about the population must be understood and followed to ensure accuracy and effectiveness. If possible, gather population figures from the latest census reports or use trusted external sources to determine how effectively you can set up a miniature population sample.

With a proper understanding of the representing population, an accurate sample can easily be arranged consisting of an equal percentage of males and females, different age groups, economic classes, living styles, and communities.

Area Sample:

Over the years, the area sample has become more favorable to researchers and pollsters. In an area sample, the cross-section or miniature sample is set up based on a cross-section of the area and not of people.

Setting up an area sample is relatively easy. In an area sample, information related to different geographies, such as countries, states, cities, villages, or towns, can be easily acquired through census reports and other sources.

A distinct insight gathered from polling organizations helps a lot in cross-sectioning the areas in an elaborate manner. It helps distinguish cities into bigger, medium, or smaller villages based on their per capita income, education, etc. and knows towns within the borders.

A typical area sample consists of several small areas, such as townships, small sections of big cities, blocks in villages, etc. The sample is set and chosen by ensuring that the sum of the areas represents an accurate miniature model of the population anticipated to participate in the opinion polls.

2. Phrasing the questions

Indeed, setting up a sample is an essential ingredient of the opinion poll. Nevertheless, phrasing questions in the right manner to yield excellent results is equally important.

Before phrasing the question, you must be aware that it must be neutral. Hence, avoid 'loaded' or 'leading' questions that might jeopardize the transparency and authenticity of the entire poll results.

For example, let's analyze the poll question, "Is the government forcing its health-related schemes on the people?"

Well, don't you think different people will take various meanings of the question only because of the word 'force'? Do you know it will be complicated to interpret the answers to this question? Now, we will consider another question: "Have you ever read a book?" Don't you think the question itself insults the poll participants? Moreover, the question is too general and will yield vague answers. Avoid such questions.

Ensure the poll questions are phrased clearly and concisely so that respondents or participants do not misunderstand the question and its intent.

For example, during one of the polls conducted during the Gulf War, it was found that the word 'salvage' has a different meaning for different people. Some thought it meant 'paper and tin can drive,' and for some, it said 'bring the boys back home.' Thus, using such a word-in-question phrasing would increase the margin of error leading to a discrepancy in results.

Focus on picking questions that the participants can easily connect with and answer in an unbiased manner. Avoid complicated or technical questions that fail to connect with the audience, as such questions will again yield meaningless answers.

Make it a common practice to test the poll and question phrases by asking a small group of people to participate in the test poll. Motivate colleagues and friends to participate in the test poll and get their feedback to either move on or iterate the poll further. However, trying it out on a small number of random samples is the best way to test your poll.

Questions to ask in an opinion poll

It is hard to recommend a question type or a precise question to ask in an opinion poll. Generally, the type of poll question depends on the motive behind the opinion poll or the kind of information a researcher intends to gather from it.

1. Closed questions: The most common type of poll question is the one where respondents have to answer in either 'yes' or 'no' format. Such questions are helpful when the issues concerning polls are out there in public, and they have already formed an opinion regarding that issue.

For instance, consider this question, 'Do you think mutual funds are a good investment option?' The answer options will be 'Yes', 'No,' and 'Can't Say.' By adding a third option, 'Can't Say', you are giving a fair chance to the respondents who do not have a fixed opinion about the question.

2. Open-ended questions: Also called as free questions, are also widely used in the polls. These questions allow participants to express themselves freely and at length. Open-ended questions are useful when researchers want to identify people's various ways of thinking concerning a specific issue.

For example, organizations often conduct internal opinion polls to understand employees. An open-ended question in the opinion poll allows participant employees to express themselves freely.

3. Multiple choice questions: The majority of opinion polls are designed with multiple-choice questions. In a multiple-choice question, the answer options are grouped in the form of a checklist, and participants are allowed to choose either one or multiple choices.

When researchers want to know how strongly people feel about a pressing social issue or to understand how well-informed people are about an issue affecting society, they prefer multiple-choice questions in their opinion polls.

For example, "Which of the following statements comes closer to your thinking about the H-1B visa workers in America?"

• H-1B visa workers are a burden on American society as they claim jobs, healthcare, and other facilities that are meant for the American public.
• H-1B visa workers fill the jobs that most American workers can perform easily.
• Not Decided.

Good Poll Questions

Advantages of public opinion polls

Public opinion polls are a definitive way to determine what specific people of certain population strata belonging to a particular demographic think or feel about a given subject.

The public opinion polls ask participants specific questions related to specific issues with the motive of studying the public's perspective. Depending on the insights received, researchers can then strategize targeted actions. Here are the advantages of public opinion polls.

1. Online opinion polls have a wider reach.

We are living in a world dominated by technology and gadgets. Today, the majority of people spend most of their time browsing the internet, either through a computer or through their mobile phones. Additionally, modern browsers have made it easier to answer a poll quickly in between tasks. Poll responses dramatically increase when they are easily made available on different digital screens.

2. Public opinion polls serve as an essential aspect of democracy.

A public opinion poll signifies the importance of citizens and their opinions. It allows citizens to express their feelings or cast their views on a specific issue. It is like people exercising their right to freedom of expression granted to them as citizens of the country.

3. Public opinion polls are faster and more accurate.

When conducted using online poll software, opinion polls are more effective and precise. If the right sample is chosen scientifically, conducting polls becomes easier. The entire process is digital and automatically yields digital polling data, making it possible to track responses in real time. Additionally, the analytic tools and ability to present results in graphical and weighted format reduce the possibility of human errors.

Public opinion polls have become as common as apple pie. Based on a set of written questions, opinion polls are used to determine:

• What people believe.
• ow they feel about an issue.
• In what way will they act.

Researchers use the outcomes of an opinion poll in versatile ways. Besides, public opinion polls are influencing the political arena. Opinion polls are being used by the candidates and mainstream media throughout the election campaign to predict which candidates have higher chances to emerge victoriously.

Conclusion

An interactive online poll software helps a great deal in creating and conducting free opinion polls. Many organizations prefer to use poll software due to its easy user interface, availability of poll templates, and options to distribute and analyze the poll outcomes.

However, conducting a successful poll requires careful planning, execution, and analysis. Fortunately, with the advent of powerful polling software like QuestionPro, organizations of all sizes can conduct surveys quickly and efficiently while ensuring that they receive accurate and reliable polling data. So whether you're conducting political polls, public opinion research, market research, or employee surveys, QuestionPro can help you get the insights you need to succeed.

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