Unscientific Polls

A survey of public opinion from a particular sample.

Sample Size

A few thousand is typical.

Examples

• Literary Digest in 1936
• 1992 British General Election

PROs

• There are no advantages. (Experienced pollsters do not aspire to conduct unscientific polls. Bias is typically introduced in poll designs because of carelessness or expedience.)

CONs

• Less accurate than polls conducted with random sampling (scientific polls).
• Represents raw, not refined, public opinion.