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March 8th, 2008

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February 15th, 2008

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February 4th, 2008

Editorial: Inconsistent Appraisals Harm Taxpayers
December 17th, 2007

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November 30th, 2007

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October 16th, 2007

Editorial: Nobel Prizes in Medicine
October 5th, 2007

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September 22nd, 2007

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August 8th, 2007

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July 24th, 2007

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June 26th, 2007

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June 12th, 2007

Editorial: The Sources of Progress in Medicine
May 30th, 2007

Editorial: A New Era of Politics and Religion
May 17th, 2007

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Poll Results: Fact, Fiction, or Propaganda?

Poll Results: Fact, Fiction, or Propaganda?

Editor

November 2002 is past, but publishing the results of polls continues. Last week the local print newspaper was responsible for publication of a poll that asked "Do you feel that the Cedar Key Police are doing a good job of enforcing the law?" The results were 65 percent answering "Yes", and 35 percent answering "No".

When presented with polling results the reader might well ask a few questions. Reputable pollsters disclose the margin of error and how many people answered the question. For a poll to be valid, a spectrum of the population must be questioned. Ideally, the wording of the question should not prompt a particular answer.

If a pollster asked twenty Corvette owners to name the best make of car, the results would be predictable. If Fidel Castro polled one hundred Cubans on his place in history, the results would be predictable.

The next time the results of a poll are presented, the following questions should apply:

1. How many people answered the question?

2. Was the question a straight question?

3. Who asked the question?

4. Why was the question asked?

5. Do you expect the pollster to be fair?

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