Previous Class: Measuring Public Opinion

Next Class: Ideologies of Political Parties

Objective: Explain the quality and credibility of claims based on public opinion data.

Class Notes for the Day!

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Starter: What would the outcome of the 2016 election have been if men couldn't vote?

1.How accurate was your prediction?

2.What most surprised you about this map?

3.How does this map make you feel?

4.What is a consequence of this gender gap?

5.What is the big story this map tells?

6.Do you think that this gender gap is a trend or unique to the 2016 election?

7.What’s going on with Nebraska?

8.Ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote. A popular hashtag on Twitter supports #Repealthe19th. Do you agree that the 19th Amendment should be repealed?

9.What would the process for repealing the 19th Amendment look like?
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10.What would the 2016 election have looked like if women couldn't vote?

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Recap: Describe the elements of a scientific poll.

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Practice FRQ

1. Identify the information contained in the graphs.
   
   
2. Describe a similarity or difference in public opinion of job approval for President Obama and President Bush.
   
   
3. Explain why presidential approval ratings can fluctuate, and draw a conclusion about when President Bush would have had his best chance of moving his agenda forward.

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Polls and Democracy

Public opinion information can alter policy agendas, political platforms, and even the choices of voters.  Create a chart displaying pros and cons of public opinion polls on shaping democracy in the United States.

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Political Ideology Tests

I Side With
Political Compass

1. What ideology/candidate did it pair you with?
2. Is that what you expected?
3. Will the results influence how you make political choices (i.e. voting, donations)?
4. More people today think the government is too big rather than too small, identifying with the conservative position.  However, a plurality has consistently called for increased spending on domestic programs, identifying with the liberal position.  How do you account for this contradiction?
5. Many political scientists have looked at these contradictory findings and concluded that Americans are ideological conservatives but operational liberals.  Examine this theory with reference to public debate over recent controversial issues such as health care, immigration, and foreign policy.

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Closer: Explain the quality and credibility of claims based on public opinion data.

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On Deck

Next Topic: Ideologies of Political Parties
Textbook Section 6.4 (pp. 180-181)
Quiz Next Class: Public Opinion Polls