Reading the Evidence
A Survey Response Rate Is Not the Same as Its Sample Size
Read survey response rates alongside sample size, eligibility and recruitment details instead of treating one percentage as a verdict on accuracy.
CONTEXT FOR EVERYDAY CURIOSITY
surveys
Reading the News
An Exit Poll Surveys Voters; It Does Not Count the Ballots
Exit polls estimate patterns from surveyed voters. Learn why their numbers differ from ballot counts and why early versions can change.
Reading the Evidence
A Survey Margin of Error Does Not Cover Every Kind of Error
Read a poll’s margin of error alongside its sampling method, question wording and subgroup sizes before trusting a precise headline.
Reading research
Who Answered the Survey—and Who Never Saw It?
Read a survey headline by checking the intended population, recruitment method and missing voices before treating its percentage as a public verdict.