'Sorry, Wrong Number': Why Media Polls on Gun Control are So Often Unreliable

22 Pages Posted: 23 Sep 2008

See all articles by Gary A. Mauser

Gary A. Mauser

Simon Fraser University (SFU) - Beedie School of Business

David B. Kopel

University of Wyoming College of Law - Firearms Research Center; Independence Institute; Cato Institute; Denver University - Sturm College of Law

Date Written: September 23, 1994

Abstract

How scientific are the polls reported in the media on the gun control issue? Without arguing for or against gun controls, this article examines the interviewing and sampling methods used by media polls and finds that some polls claiming impressive majorities in favor of severe gun controls may not be accurate.

Keywords: opinion polls, gun control, interviewer effects, sampling biases

JEL Classification: C42, D70

Suggested Citation

Mauser, Gary A. and Kopel, David B., 'Sorry, Wrong Number': Why Media Polls on Gun Control are So Often Unreliable (September 23, 1994). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1272295 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1272295

Gary A. Mauser

Simon Fraser University (SFU) - Beedie School of Business ( email )

8888 University Drive
Burnaby, British Colombia V5A 1S6
Canada
604 936-9141 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.sfu.ca/~mauser/

David B. Kopel (Contact Author)

University of Wyoming College of Law - Firearms Research Center ( email )

United States

HOME PAGE: http://firearmsresearchcenter.org/

Independence Institute ( email )

727 East 16th Ave
Denver, CO 80203
United States
303-279-6536 (Phone)
303-279-4176 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.davekopel.org

Cato Institute ( email )

1000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001-5403
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.cato.org/people/david-kopel

Denver University - Sturm College of Law ( email )

2255 E. Evans Avenue
Denver, CO 80208
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.davekopel.org

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