1. Question Paper
2005
Question 6

2. Question Paper 2005, Question 6
6 (a) Outline the strengths and weaknesses of this source for a researcher interested in measuring public support for ID cards. (10)
6 (b) Suggest, giving reasons, one alternative method by which the information could be presented in order to make it easier for a researcher to use. (5)

3. Question 6:
2005
Outline the strengths
and weaknesses of this
source for a researcher
interested in measuring
public support for ID
cards. (10)
Key word – ‘this source’ – means that you must examine the source of the information very carefully.
You should focus on:
the fact that it is an opinion poll
the fact that the opinion poll was carried out by MORI, an internationally respected polling company
how the poll was conducted

4. source for a researcher interested in measuring public support for ID
Outline the strengths
and weaknesses of this
source for a researcher
interested in measuring
public support for ID
cards. (10)
Question 6:
2005
date on which the poll was carried out
characteristics of the sample
who has been sampled
and who has been left out?
size of the sample
use of ‘weighting’
use of ‘rounding’
type of questions asked

5. Question 6: 2005
Question asks you to describe and explain the strengths and weaknesses of this source of information.
Your answer therefore must be balanced for full marks.
This means that you must address both the strengths and the weaknesses.

6. Question 6: 2005
If you do not, your answer will be marked out of 6 marks and not 10.
Your answer though does not have to be equally balanced.
It is possible to achieve 6 marks for strengths and 4 marks for weaknesses or vice versa.

7. Question 6: 2005
You will get a lot of credit for developing your points and for providing exemplification.
Answers that simply list points will not receive a high mark.
Answers that show a lack of knowledge or understanding of the issue will not achieve high marks.

8. Company used to carry out the opinion poll: MORI
Strengths
is an internationally respected polling company
has a lot of experience in carrying out opinion polls; knows importance of sample size, characteristics of sample population etc. and has to stay in business so it has to maintain its credibility as a polling company.
has to stay in business so it has to maintain its credibility as a polling company. used by many high profile companies such as market research, newspapers and political parties to gauge public opinion on many issues.
is used by many high profile companies such as market research, newspapers and political parties to gauge public opinion on many issues.

9. Company used ‘weighting’ to choose the sample
Question 6:
2005
Strengths
Company used ‘weighting’ to choose the sample
Weighting ensures that the sample of 1000 people aged 18 and over are representative of the whole population of the UK.
Weighting takes into account the following characteristics of the UK population:
its age structure
its gender structure
socio-economic structure.

10. Use of computer rounding
Question 6: 2005
Weaknesses
Many critics of opinion polls wonder how a sample of around 1000 people can be representative of the opinions of millions of people.
Size of sample
Use of computer rounding
This will introduce statistical error into the final results reducing their level of accuracy.

11. Research method used – advantages and disadvantages
Question 6: 2005
Strengths
Advantages of telephone interviewing using RDD – Random Digit Dialling.
RDD provides a representative probability sample of all telephone users, unlike telephone surveys which rely on registered telephone number lists or directories. (Telephone interviewing has traditionally been regarded as unreliable because of the difficulty of obtaining an unbiased genuinely random sample from the phone book).
ICM and Gallup argued that 94% of the population could now be contacted by phone. RDD can be used to contact ex-directory numbers.
Good because people who are ex-directory can now be contacted; mainly female, people living on their own – no longer excluded from the sample.

12. Research method used – advantages and disadvantages
Question 6: 2005
Strengths
Research method used – advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of telephone interviewing using RDD – Random Digit Dialling.
Telephone interviewing makes it easier and cheaper to get a wider sample in terms of geographical positioning; avoids clustering which happens with postal surveys.
Allows for more stringent checks to be carried out on those who are interviewing because they are all based in one central position rather than being spread throughout the country.

13. Research method used – advantages and disadvantages
Question 6:
2005
Weaknesses
Research method used – advantages and disadvantages
Disadvantages of telephone interviewing using RDD – Random Digit Dialling.
10% of the UK population do not have a telephone – these people are also excluded from the survey – mainly people in the lower socio-economic groups in society.
Still the problem of ‘obtaining a response’- non-contacts and refusals.
Still the problem of reliability of information received over the phone. People find it easier to make false comments on the phone. Is the person on the phone who they say they are?

14. Reliability of opinion polls as a source of information
Question 6:
2005:
Weaknesses
Reliability of opinion polls as a source of information
Opinion polls are inherently limited in their value as predictors because they only represent a ‘snap-shot’ of public opinion at the time the survey is carried out and the results ‘go to press’.
Opinion polls can only measure what people say. What people say and actually do are often not the same and so if used to predict how people might vote on the issue, opinion polls are not accurate.

15. Reliability of opinion polls as a source of information
Question 6:
2005
Weaknesses
This poll was carried out between 18 and 23 March 2004 but the results were not published until 23 April 2004.
Some of the respondents may well have changed their mind on the issue during that time. Results therefore may not be an accurate reflection of public opinion.

16. Reliability of opinion polls as a source of information
Question 6:
2005
Weaknesses
Reliability of opinion polls as a source of information
1972, 1992 General Elections - opinion polls carried out during the election campaign came under criticism for high level of inaccuracy.
Opinion polls since 1970 have predicted the wrong outcome in 5 out 7 elections.

17. Reliability of opinion polls as a source of information
Question 6:
2005
Weaknesses
Reliability of opinion polls as a source of information
Some people are inclined to give ’politically correct’ answers to questions. This will inevitably increase the chances and size of error in the result.
Many critics of opinion polls wonder how a sample of around 1000 people can be representative of the opinions of millions of people.

18. Type of questions asked in the opinion poll
2005
Questions are examples of ‘closed questions’ – they give the respondent a choice of answers from a directed list. Gives standardised answers.
Advantages
Standardised answers make it possible to identify patterns and make comparisons between the different groups of people such as between males and females or between working-class and middle-class.
Results can be replicated easily to check for reliability.
Same questions can be repeated at a future date in order to make comparisons over time – longitudinal study.
Reduces possibility of interviewer bias.

19. Type of questions asked in the opinion poll
2005
Disadvantages
With closed questions it is difficult for respondents to elaborate or develop their answers in depth. This means that the results may not be wholly valid in that they do not give a true picture of the respondent’s point of view.
Difficult to make generalisations or assumptions based on the results.

20. Question 6:
2005
Key words – information, presented, easier, a researcher.
Consider how the information is presented by MORI e.g.
The questions are written in bold.
The standardised answers are listed underneath.
The number who responded to each standardised answer is given beside it in %s.
How could this be improved upon?
b) Suggest giving
reasons, one alternative
way in which the
information in the source
could be presented in
order to make it easier
for a researcher
to use.

21. collected in statistical form can be presented in a variety
Primary data that is
collected in statistical form
can be presented in a variety
of graphical ways.
Presenting and
Analysing Results
Presenting data in
this way is very
important because it
helps analysis.
Question 6:
2005

22. Presenting and Analysing Results Question 6: 2005
helps
identify
patterns
makes a
report
more attractive
demonstrates
points
more forcibly
clarifies
text
summarise
data
helps identify
relationships
between
variables
Graphical
representation
is important
because it
Presenting and
Analysing Results
Question 6:
2005

23. Symbols and proportional symbols
There is a huge range of
graphical and
cartographical
techniques available
Presenting and
Analysing Results
Line graphs
Bar graphs
Pie graphs
Multiple graphs
Circular graphs
Mirror graphs
Dot maps
Symbols and proportional symbols
Triangular graphs
Tables
Rose diagrams
The technique you use will
depend on the type of
data collected
Question 6:
2005

24. Presenting data Whatever the technique chosen, it should be
neat, colourful and annotated, in order to ensure its impact and effectiveness.

25. Presenting field data a labelled axis a title a key and be referred
So all diagrams must have: a
labelled
axis
a title
a key
and be
referred
to in
the text
colour

26. Results of Opinion Poll on Identity Cards
Presentation
Techniques
Results of Opinion Poll on Identity Cards
A comparative bar graph is used to show the frequency or amount of a number of different categories or questions.
The bars are drawn with a gap in between them, and they are coloured or shaded differently. This is because the categories are unconnected.
Percentage
100 50
Questions 1 2 3
Key
Yes No
Don’t know

27. Presentation Techniques
Results of Question (i) To what extent, if at all, are you in favour of, or opposed to, a national identity card scheme?
This method of presenting the results is called a histogram – used when results are connected – ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘don’t know’
It has the same advantages as for a bar graph however in this example three histograms would have to be drawn:
one for each question
a different colour could be used for each question.
Percentage
100 50
Question (i)
Yes No
Don’t know
Key
Percentage

28. Results of Opinion Poll on Identity Cards
Presentation
Techniques
Results of Opinion Poll on Identity Cards
Percentage
100 50
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
This is an example of a comparative bar graph on its side.
It has the same advantages as for the vertical presentation.
Key
Yes No
Don’t know

29. Presentation Techniques
Results of Question (i) To what extent, if at all, are you in favour of, or opposed to, a national identity card scheme?
Percentage
100 50
Yes No
Don’t know
This is an example of a bar graph on its side.
It has the same advantages as for the vertical presentation.
Key
Percentage

30. Presentation techniques:
Pie charts
Question 1 : To what extent, if at all, are you in favour of, or opposed to, a national identity card scheme?

31. Presentation techniques:
Pie charts
Advantages
A pie chart is a good way of showing how a whole is divided up – in this case the answers to the question.
Each segment of the pie represents the possible answers to the question.
The size of a segment represents the percentage support for that answer e.g. ‘Don’t know’ = 1%.
The use of different colours for each segment makes it easier to distinguish between the different levels of support for each answer.

32. Presentation techniques:
Question 1 : To what extent, if at all, are you in favour of, or opposed to, a national identity card scheme?
Question 2 : For what reasons are you in favour of a national identity card scheme?
Question 3 : How much, if anything, do you know about the Government’s proposals to introduce a national identity card scheme for all UK citizens?
Presentation techniques:
Pie charts
Good way of comparing and analysing the results for all three questions.

33. Question 6(b)
2005
No marks are given for the choice of alternative method of presentation.
Marks are given for the explanation of method chosen e.g. why that method would be easier for a researcher.
For full marks you would have to give at least two well developed points.