Who needs a poll? - Opinion polls in a nutshell (#1/4)

Ever wondered how opinion polls work?

As election fever grows - so does the importance of opinion polls which today are an essential part of modern political life. Political strategists, voters and the media all lap up the data generated - but where does it come from? How many people do you need to interview to get trustworthy data? and just how easy is it to predict the future based on the opinions of the present?

Who carried out the first opinion poll and why are they so popular?
This lighthearted and revealing clip examines the real purpose of polling voters and how you ensure the accuracy of a sample. Narrated by Professor Kevin McConway.

(Part 1 of 3)
Playlist link:    • Opinion polls in a nutshell  

Transcript: http://podcast.open.ac.uk/feeds/3272_... more like this subscribe to the Open University channel    / @openlearn_ou  

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