AP GOVERNMENT / CHAPTER 11 / PUBLIC OPINION QUESTIONS / MR. LIPMAN
Assignment: Please read chapter 11 (pages 362-383) and type out the questions and answers to the
following on a separate piece of paper.
1. Who is the “founder” of public opinion polls and what did he believe?
2. What are some examples of early American attempts to influence public opinion?
3. When did public opinion begin to take its modern form?
4. What is a straw poll and why is it considered ineffective?
5. What is political socialization?
6. When is a parent’s influence the greatest on children?
7. What is the greatest predictor or indicator of how someone will vote? What is the second?
8. What is political ideology?
9. Why do today’s college graduates have less knowledge about American civics than high school
graduates of 50 years ago?
10. Identify and explain each of the following:
a) random sampling
b) quota sampling
c) stratified sampling
d) push polls
e) tracking polls
f) exit polls
g) filter questions
h) telephone polls
i) internet polls
11. As a group what are senior citizens more likely to desire an increase in?
12. What is a sampling error?
13. What are the shortcomings of polling?
14. Should high schools have government (civic) classes? (Read page 378 and explain your answer)