14.3 Social research procedures

An important tool to social researchers is secondary data. Census surveys take place among selected populations. In primary data, collection for social research cannot assume that approaches accepted in the commercial world will work efficiently. Researchers have benefited from knowledge generated in sampling political polls. For example, the spiral of silence concept means that respondents will assess current feeling and this will affect how openly they express opinions. Three sources of error with pre-election surveys are a late swing in support, a differential turnout and the poll effect. These sources of error offer support both for and against the use of polling.

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