"Election 2008: Politics, Polls and the Youth Vote," is a unique honors course offered this semester regarding the important role polls play in elections.
The School of Communication class is taught by Dotty Lynch, Executive in Residence in SOC and political correspondent for CBS News. Lynch's class investigates how public opinion is shaped as well as all aspects of polling.
Throughout the semester, the Tuesday afternoon class generates questionnaires and focus groups. Additionally, they develop questions that gauge the public's stance about campaign issues as well as the candidates and their messages. Students investigate how the media targets and communicates with young people, Lynch said.
Laiah Idelson, a senior in SOC, said she decided to take the class because the election theme was particularly relevant this year.
"I think this class is very applicable," she said. "I am excited about this election and liked the hands-on element to the class."
Kelli Whalen, a junior in SOC who is also in the class, said she wants to learn what influences public opinion.
"I hope to gain an understanding of how polls are used to reflect the day-to-day changes of an election," she said.
A typical class session includes guest speakers from polling organizations, student presentations on recent polls, training to analyze statistics on the computer program Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and learning the basic steps for polling and compiling data, Idelson said.
The class is based on the uncommon opportunity of collaborating with USA Today in connection to Gallup Polls. The students created an "AU Poll of Young Voters" that consisted of a 17-question survey targeted at 18 to 29-year-olds who are likely to vote in the upcoming election, Lynch said.
"[The poll is] a series of demographic questions about young voters' opinions on various issues and political behaviors," Idelson said.
Gallup is currently conducting the poll through phone surveys. Students received the poll's results Tuesday and will analyze them though the SPSS file and produce an executive summary, along with a press release on Oct. 29. The results will appear in USA Today, according to Lynch.
Lynch said she stresses how integral polling is to the election process in the class.
"Polls help politicians determine what messages they should use, what audience to focus on, what media markets to vie for and what places to go and speak," she said. "[They allow the media] to have their own assessment of how the public is reacting to the campaign, what issues are on the public's mind and how the public is assessing the candidates."
Lynch said she hopes the class will enable students to view the election as professional pollsters.
"On the most basic level, I hope students will become good consumers of polls, and understand the role of public opinions formation," she said.
Idelson said she hopes for lasting results from the class.
"When our poll is analyzed and published, I hope the data will encourage other young people to vote and will show older generations that today's young people do care about the future of our country and about this election," she said.
You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.
