1. What is the primary purpose of political polling?
A) To influence public opinion
B) To measure and analyze public opinion on political issues and candidates
C) To fund political campaigns
D) To regulate media content
Answer: B) To measure and analyze public opinion on political issues and candidates
2. Which type of poll is conducted just before an election to gauge voter intentions?
A) Exit poll
B) Tracking poll
C) Benchmark poll
D) Push poll
Answer: A) Exit poll
3. What is a “tracking poll”?
A) A poll conducted after an election to determine its impact
B) A poll that follows changes in public opinion over time
C) A poll conducted only once during a campaign
D) A poll that measures the accuracy of other polls
Answer: B) A poll that follows changes in public opinion over time
4. Which type of poll is used to establish baseline support for a candidate at the beginning of a campaign?
A) Tracking poll
B) Benchmark poll
C) Exit poll
D) Push poll
Answer: B) Benchmark poll
5. What is a “push poll”?
A) A poll designed to collect unbiased information
B) A poll that uses leading questions to sway respondents toward a particular viewpoint
C) A poll that measures public opinion on social issues
D) A poll conducted to verify election results
Answer: B) A poll that uses leading questions to sway respondents toward a particular viewpoint
6. What does “sampling error” refer to in political polling?
A) The discrepancy between a poll’s results and the actual election outcome
B) The margin of error due to the sample size and methodology
C) The bias introduced by the pollster’s personal views
D) The error in the interpretation of poll results
Answer: B) The margin of error due to the sample size and methodology
7. Which term describes the process of selecting a representative group from a larger population for a poll?
A) Data analysis
B) Random sampling
C) Statistical inference
D) Survey design
Answer: B) Random sampling
8. What is a “margin of error” in the context of polling?
A) The amount of error in data entry
B) The percentage by which poll results may vary from the true population value
C) The bias introduced by the pollster
D) The error in the sample selection process
Answer: B) The percentage by which poll results may vary from the true population value
9. How is “likely voter” different from “registered voter” in polling?
A) Likely voters are those who have never voted before
B) Likely voters are expected to vote in the upcoming election, while registered voters may not
C) Likely voters are only those who have voted in previous elections
D) Registered voters are those who have not yet registered to vote
Answer: B) Likely voters are expected to vote in the upcoming election, while registered voters may not
10. What is a “quota sample” in polling?
A) A sample that is randomly selected from the entire population
B) A sample that is representative of specific demographic characteristics
C) A sample that includes only high-income individuals
D) A sample that excludes certain demographic groups
Answer: B) A sample that is representative of specific demographic characteristics
11. Which polling method involves respondents answering questions over the phone?
A) Online survey
B) Face-to-face interview
C) Telephone poll
D) Mail survey
Answer: C) Telephone poll
12. What is “selection bias” in the context of polling?
A) The use of random sampling to ensure unbiased results
B) The error introduced by choosing a non-representative sample
C) The margin of error in the results
D) The process of analyzing poll data
Answer: B) The error introduced by choosing a non-representative sample
13. What is a “benchmark survey”?
A) A survey that measures public opinion after an election
B) A survey that tracks changes in opinion over time
C) A survey conducted at the start of a campaign to gauge initial support
D) A survey that assesses media influence on voters
Answer: C) A survey conducted at the start of a campaign to gauge initial support
14. Which term refers to the practice of repeating a poll at regular intervals to observe trends?
A) Benchmark polling
B) Tracking polling
C) Exit polling
D) Push polling
Answer: B) Tracking polling
15. What is the main purpose of exit polling?
A) To predict election outcomes before voting begins
B) To analyze voter opinions after they have cast their ballots
C) To assess campaign strategies during an election
D) To determine the accuracy of pre-election polls
Answer: B) To analyze voter opinions after they have cast their ballots
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