Search results for ""Author Herbert F. Weisberg""

In 1939, George Gallup's American Institute of Public Opinion published a pamphlet optimistically titled "The New Science of Public Opinion Measurement". At the time, though, survey research was in its infancy, and only now, six decades later, can public opinion measurement be appropriately called a science, based in part on the development of the total survey error approach. Herbert F. Weisberg's handbook presents a unified method for conducting good survey research centered on the various types of errors that can occur in surveys - from measurement and nonresponse error to coverage and sampling error. Each chapter is built on theoretical elements drawn from specific disciplines, such as social psychology and statistics, and follows through with detailed treatments of the specific types of errors and their potential solutions. Throughout, Weisberg is attentive to survey constraints, including time and ethical considerations, as well as controversies within the field and the effects of new technology on the survey process - from Internet surveys to those completed by phone, by mail, and in person. Practitioners and students will find this comprehensive guide particularly useful now that survey research has assumed a primary place in both public and academic circles.

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Models of Voting in Presidential Elections offers a comprehensive scholarly examination of the determinants of voter participation and vote choice at play in the 2000 presidential election. Unlike other books that focus exclusively on the drama and unusual circumstances of the 2000 election, this account examines larger issues surrounding the election and its outcome, asking why an election that traditional forecasting models predicted would provide a strong and clear victory for one side was ultimately so close. Using a variety of models, the authors explore why the election was so close, what happened to the landslide that economic forecast models had predicted, and whether our traditional theories and approaches require reevaluation in light of the outcome. This book analyzes a variety of matters fundamental to the 2000 election, including the influence of Bill Clinton, his dual legacy, and the economy. The authors detail changing voter coalitions and the influence of a gender gap. They also describe the role of divided government, how voter turnout affects election outcomes, the impact of minor-party candidates, and, more generally, the relative importance of partisanship, candidates, and issues.

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