Opinion poll
Surveys and polls are good ways to judge larger public opinion and this tool is extensively used in West to get the perception of the subjects. In Pakistan, the acceptance or rejection of public opinion survey by public at large is majorly based on the findings of the survey. For instance, a survey is accepted if the findings are in line with our thoughts, otherwise it will be rejected without understanding the scientific details of it. The Institute for Public Opinion Research (IPOR) is among few organizations that has been spreading awareness about public opinion research in Pakistan since last one decade.
There is a dire need to understand the underlying reasons for acceptance or rejection of any public opinion polls. And what should form the bases of a good or bad poll, rather than mere accepting or rejecting its result on whims. Majorly, a good quality poll always addresses the scientific details, like randomization of sampling, unbiased questions, and a fair data collection etc. These details are always provided with the poll results. If any of these are not in line with normal practices, one can question the authenticity of a poll otherwise we can confidently rely on the poll findings.
For more details please download the attached document: