The Voter's Guide to Election Polls

Fifth Edition. For the sixth presidential election running, Michael W. Traugott and Paul J. Lavrakas team up to give voters everything they need to know about election polls. When it comes to polls, the stakes are high, which is why this edition has been revised to incorporate information on the latest technologies used for data collection and data analysis. In straightforward language, the authors answer questions such as: - How do political candidates and organizations use poll data? - How do news organizations collect and report poll data? - Why do pollsters use samples? - How do media organizations analyze polls? They also examine common problems and complaints about polls, such as the increasing use of "push polls"-a political telemarketing technique-and polls conducted on the Internet that attract a large number of respondents who may not be representative of the general public.

Michael W. Traugott is professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies and senior research scientist in the Center for Political Studies at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Paul J. Lavrakas is former professor of journalism and communication at Northwestern University and Ohio State University and was the founding director of the survey centers at each institution.