GOV 1360: American Public Opinion

How does public opinion shape government?  Students will learn how pollsters ask questions in order to test ideas about politics and how public opinion data are used to make political decisions.  Students will learn theories of public opinion and government accountability, fundamentals of public opinion research, and how to design and analyze surveys.  Students will work with a national survey firm to design and analyze national sample surveys, and they will learn how to write an effective memo that uses survey data to advise a candidate or president about political strategies and decisions.