this very topic was an issue discussed on NPR radio this afternoon. Between reluctant phone answerers, semi-automated screening by phones and voice mails, and now cell phones, what's a pollster to do?
Quit? Add some extra % to the precision estimate? Jay Paul Bernhardt wrote: > I'm wondering how the emergence of cell phones as the primary telephone > for many households will affect polling. I checked in my stats classes > and 2 of my 40 students have no land line, only a cell phone for their > only and primary telephone. > > Cell phones are often on unique exchanges. Does Gallup use them also? Or, > does Gallup still treat cells as 'business exchanges.' > > How will this omission affect polling accuracy as it increases? > Currently, this phenomenon will tend to be concentrated among younger > persons who are, as a group, less likely to vote. Therefore, for now, it > probably has no real effect... but wait... > > Paul > .. > .. > ================================================================= > Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the > problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: > .. http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . > ================================================================= -- Jay Warner Principal Scientist Warner Consulting, Inc. 4444 North Green Bay Road Racine, WI 53404-1216 USA Ph: (262) 634-9100 FAX: (262) 681-1133 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: http://www.a2q.com The A2Q Method (tm) -- What do you want to improve today? . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . =================================================================
