The Polling Report

Alongside the use of bar graphs and pie charts, you will be required to verbally explain the data. Here is a list of some information that will help you to do just that!

Features of a polling report:

• Usually quite brief


• General introduction with brief explanation of survey process, most interesting/important results at the beginning, followed by other results grouped by topic


• The tone is generally neutral, though occasionally writers note inconsistencies and/or raise new questions
  
  
  1. What to Include. What is important to report? What is significant?
  2. How to Begin. What will be most interesting/important to the audience?
  3. How to Organize. Which pieces of information connect with which other pieces of information? What is the most logical part?
  4. How to Use the Open-Ended Responses. Which comments would add to the readers’ understanding of the information? Which comments are most interesting? Which ones might be used at the beginning, to hook the readers’ attention? Which would be most useful at the end, to give the reader a sense of completion.

Checklist:

1. ___I presented the major findings of my poll of people’s opinions about this issue.



2. ___I included an introduction that told my reader what issue I was exploring, who I surveyed, and how I collected my data.



3. ___I organized the results of my poll so that they are presented logically and clearly for my reader.



4. ___I included at least one graph to dramatize public opinion.



5. ___I explained the significance of my graphs within the text of my paper.



6. ___I included some of the responses to my open-ended questions as well as those from forced-choice and rank-order questions.