Multiple-Choice, Comparison Tables.
Below are 3 multiple choice questions much like those you might see on a national exam. Choose the correct line with 2 true and accurate statements. Read each line carefully. The answers will appear below the final question once you’ve had time to consider and answer the questions.
1. Which of the following is an accurate description of the universe and the sample in polling?
|
Universe |
Sample |
|
|
A |
The large group of people a polling firm wants to anticipate | Must have an equal number of all voting blocs. |
|
B |
The entire population | Only relevant in push polling. |
|
C |
The more educated part of the public opinion sample | Roughly 1,500 respondents in a national poll |
|
D |
The population of the public the pollster is trying to predict | Should be large enough to guarantee a margin of error of 4 or less |
Public Opinion on the Death Penalty
| Group | Oppose | Favor |
| Men | 38 | 55 |
| Women | 45 | 43 |
| Whites | 35 | 57 |
| Black | 63 | 29 |
| Hispanic | 50 | 36 |
| Republican | 21 | 72 |
| Democrat | 58 | 34 |
| Catholics | 46 | 43 |
Pew Research Center, 2016
2. Which statement accurately reflects the information in the above table?
(A) Women in general oppose the death penalty more strongly than Catholics do.
(B) Whites have the strongest pro-death penalty feelings among all the groups measured.
(C) Whites favor the death penalty more than Catholics.
(D) The death penalty is not a deterrent to violent crime.
3. A voting, news-consuming citizen happens to be male, white, Catholic, and Republican. Based on the information in the table above, what can we likely conclude about this citizen and the Death Penalty?
(A) The citizen is more likely to favor the death penalty than to oppose it.
(B) He will favor the death penalty, but only in the most severe cases.
(C) The citizen will suggest that the death penalty is meant for offenders from some races, not others.
(D) He will support the death penalty, but will vote Democrat.
4. What is an accurate depiction of the voting habits of men and women?
|
Men |
Women |
|
|
A |
Men vote more frequently than women. | Since the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, women have voted in higher numbers than men. |
|
B |
On average, men vote more conservatively than women. | Women tend to have more liberal views on abortion, gun control, and welfare. |
|
C |
Older men vote more conservatively than younger men. | There are more women voting with the Republican party than in the Democrat party. |
|
D |
Men have liberal views on law and order and welfare issues. | Women have been voting in higher numbers than men for several decades. |
And the answers are . . . D, C, A, and B
What unique vocabulary terms did you see that you were not familiar with? How might knowing these terms help you answer the question?