{"id":800,"date":"2020-02-06T14:14:16","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T19:14:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/admissions\/?p=800"},"modified":"2020-02-10T15:08:09","modified_gmt":"2020-02-10T20:08:09","slug":"democratic-primary-voters-survey-polling-at-uml","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/admissions\/democratic-primary-voters-survey-polling-at-uml\/","title":{"rendered":"Democratic Primary voters survey at UML"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Did you know that UMass Lowell has a polling center? Like, one that collects data from people about their opinion and then analyzes the information so that the world can learn what people really think about esports<\/a> or the link between sports and concussions<\/a>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: Both of those were topics for polls and surveys conducted by the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion<\/a>. The polls the center conducts are sent to media outlets all over the world and helps a variety of different fields gain necessary data to move their missions forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t feel bad if you didn\u2019t know about our polling center. Honestly, I didn\u2019t know we had one either until about a month ago. Even after working here for a year-and-a-half, there\u2019s so much to do and see here at UML that I\u2019m still learning and surprised pretty often (in a good way!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"democratic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What does the Center for Public Opinion do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Center for Public Opinion provides students and faculty\nwith access to public opinion research on a variety of topics. This is\nimportant because the findings can help the public get a better understanding\nof government policies, civic culture and encourage people to take an active\nrole in the world around them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also help us predict our elections. Like, the upcoming\npresidential election. More on that below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing I\u2019ve noticed working here and talking to our\noffice interns is that UML students are inquisitive, hardworking and super\ninterested in making the world a better place. Usually through research they\u2019ve\nconducted in the classroom and with professors. One pathway our students use to\nget practice conducting research and analyzing data is through working with the\nUML Center for Public Opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah Daly \u201818 <\/a>was one such student. In her public opinion research class, she worked with other students to design surveys and polls, one of which was used in a survey conducted by the Center for Public Opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What exactly is polling? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Basically, it\u2019s data that is collected in-person or through\nonline polls to figure out what a group of people believe about something.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By data collection, I mean information or an opinion that\u2019s\ngiven willingly and with the knowledge about what the information is going to\nbe used for. People participate in the polls because they want to. It\u2019s not\nsomething that collects your information and data without your knowledge or\nconsent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the polling is complete, someone goes through and analyzes the data to see if they can get a better understanding of the percentage or ratio of people who believe a certain thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polling and surveys can\ncover any topic that people have an opinion about:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n