Polls, Politics, and Public Opinion
GOVT 380
Fall 2012 not offered
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Ordinary American citizens know little about politics and often appear as if they have few consistent opinions; yet elected officials, aspiring candidates, media, and organized interests spend considerable time scrutinizing political polls, which are increasing in number. Can citizens be uninformed and public opinion informative at the same time? If so, what are the implications for democratic representation? And how important is it to differentiate between polling methodologies? This course provides an in-depth examination of both the theoretical and practical issues involved in the measurement, analysis, and solicitation of American public opinion through survey research. In addition to providing a detailed look at developments in the field of public opinion and the politics that shapes opinion change, the class will gain experience with designing, implementing, and analyzing opinion polls. Students will not only become educated consumers of public opinion data, they will also get extensive practice analyzing and writing about quantitative information. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS GOVT |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (GOVT)(GOVT-American) |
Major Readings:
TBD
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Examinations and Assignments:
TBD |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Students in the course will be participating in a Wesleyan-sponsored survey during the course of the semester, which will necessitate students signing up for ONE two-hour block during the evening during the weeks in which the survey is in the field. Evening hours will be scheduled on an individual basis and can be between 5pm and midnight any Sunday through Thursday evening. Class meeting times during the day will be shortened during these weeks to account for the required evening hours. |
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