Overview

"Discusses the history and development of public opinion and opinion polling in American politics The term ""public opinion"" means the feeling or sentiment shared by most people, the voice of the people. This definition may be simple, but it is often difficult to determine what the public's opinion is on any given issue and how to interpret its meaning. This two-volume encyclopedia defines and discusses the history and development of public opinion as a concept in democracy, major public opinion controversies in American politics, and the science and methods of opinion polling. Over 170 signed entries explain the major concepts, people, historical events, organizations, practice and theory, and measurement methods of public opinion and political opinion polling in the United States. Entries include: exit polls; gender differences; liberalism and conservatism, National Election Studies; polling and voting; random digit dialling; and survey ethics. Reference materials include statistics and charts and a listing of major public opinion research centres, organizations and archives. The first work of its kind for this readership. Relevant to recent controversies about the use of exit polls in elections. Editors have extensive experience supervising public opinion research projects. Excellent for researchers and students in political science and civics courses"

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9780313327018

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<p> From agree/disagree questioning to survey error and weighting, Polling America reviews the science of opinion polling. The 174 alphabetically-arranged essays present the basic theories, methods, and uses of public opinion research. Exit polls, response rates, sample sizes, focus groups, assessment methods and measurement models are among the concepts explained. Also explored are questions of religious, racial and gender differences in response to surveys. Changes in public opinion in the United States are examined in historical overviews of such perennial issues of debate as abortion, taxes, crime, gun control, immigration and health policy. Other entries describe the affects on public opinion of media reporting, campaign advertising, racial stereotypes and political labeling.... With substantial, expert-written essays and extensive suggestions for further reading, Polling America provides a firm foundation in the theory of public opinion research. - <p>Lawrence Looks at Books

This specialized encyclopedia provides college and university and high school students and generalists with more than 170 signed articles covering topics as diverse as Animal rigths; Cohabitation measures; Gay rights; Lippman, Walter; Mail surveys; and Welfare. Collectively these articles define, discuss, and provide historical context form public opinion as a component of modern democracy. Additionally, they explain the practice, theory, measurement methods, and organizations that drive public opinion in the U.S....The entries pack a lot of information into just a few pages, and will serve well as a research starting point for secondary-school and undergraduate students....[w]orthy of consideration by larger public and academic libraries. -Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

Author Information

SAMUEL J. BEST is Director of the Center for Survey Research and Analysis and Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Connecticut. BENJAMIN RADCLIFF is Professor of Political Science and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

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