US pollsters tell editors to clamp down on 'trash data'

US pollsters tell editors to clamp down on 'trash data'


America's under-fire pollsters are calling on newspaper editors and broadcasters to be more alert in checking that surveys they publish come from reputable sources.

Nancy Belden, president of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, argued that the prevalence of scientifically unsound polls, both used and conducted by today's media, was eroding confidence in surveys.


Phone-in polls contribute to the misconception that polling is a "joke", and the fact that the terms 'poll' and 'survey' are applied regardless of the methodology used has led to opinion research being "disparaged across the board", she said.


"We would urge journalists and editors to vet the surveys that come before them, and to examine whether or not they have been conducted by organisations subscribing to certain standards," said Belden.


Gary Langer, director of polling for ABC News, has been pushing the case for rigorous survey checks. Every US news organisation has "willingly and negligently reported trash data" which devalues serious research, he said.


Langer has implemented a set of standards that all surveys reported by ABC News must adhere to. He requires a full and detailed statement of methodology, plus information on who paid for the poll. He also demands the full questionnaire and all marginal data.


Similar practice is scarce in the US, although a number of organisations are beginning to catch on, while in the UK, there are no moves to adopt this model.

July | 2004