Tony Abbott overtakes Kevin Rudd - Article Example

Report on Newspoll Survey Student’ Name Institution Introduction The article touches on polls conducted by newspoll in relation to the most preferred candidate in Australia for the seat of the prime minister. The article focuses on the two main contestants for the seat, one being the prime minister while the other is the leader of opposition. The poll tries to determine which of the two candidates’ stands a chance of winning the election should it be done at the time of collecting data. The poll achieves this by asking participants various questions in relation to the two main contestants. Using the data collected the polls indicate the most preferred candidate among the two, which is presented in a tabular chart. Therefore, based on the methods adopted in the poll which is through telephone calls, the poll adopted a quantitative approach. Additionally, the fact that the poll tries to determine or prophesy events that are likely to happen in future indicates that the research method adopted is indeed quantitative. This is attributed to the fact that quantitative researches try to determine occurrence of events that are yet to happen. However, in order to determine this events data which is quantitative in nature is the most preferred data. Therefore, in relation to the survey conducted the data collected by telephone is quantitative in nature whose main intention is to determine the most preferred candidate. Data collection Being an election poll it was necessary for the survey to collect data which is relevant and corresponding to the intention of the polls. The survey collected data by contacting individuals through their telephone numbers. The individuals collected were selected randomly, which tries to maintain the integrity of the polls. This can be attributed to the fact that by selecting the individuals randomly, it ensures that the individuals are not supporters of one of the individuals. This is because if that was the case then it would mean that the polls do not in reality portray the right picture of the minds of individuals within the country. However, this method of data collection could also compromise the integrity of the polls. This can be attributed to the fact that individuals possessing phones in the country has risen in recent years and is not confined only to individuals who are above eighteen years. Therefore, this means that there is a possibility that individuals contacted could be under the age of eighteen years. This means that there is a possibility that some of the views collected belong to individuals who under the law do not have the capacity to vote. Therefore, this could compromise the integrity of the polls that were conducted and there is a possibility that the polls do not portray the situation on the ground. Additionally, despite the polls being conducted randomly, the number of individuals contacted does not in real sense represent the whole population of Australia. This is because the size of the sample of 1116 which the survey uses in conducting the polls is quite small compared to the population of Australia. Therefore, it is quite possible that the views portrayed by the survey do not necessarily represent the views of the country as a whole in relation who is their most preferred candidate. Data collected Data collected is quite important in conducting any research because the data collected determines whether the research is successful. Therefore, it is necessary that when collecting data individuals should be conscious of the data they collect in that the data collected corresponds to the intention of the survey. In doing so the, integrity of the polls is maintained making it credible thus reflecting the position of the intended survey. Therefore, it is important to look at the data that the polls collected through the survey. This is because by looking at the data it is easy to determine and understand the results that were obtained by the survey. As earlier stated the survey collected data by contacting individuals through their telephone numbers which are picked randomly. This data is tries to answer the question of who among the contestants is most suitable for the seat of prime minister. Such question require numerical data which could prove difficult to collect when using qualitative method of research. Therefore, the data collected is numerical in nature and has the capability of meeting the main aim of the polls. Additionally, numerical data is easier to interpret and give results which are desired by the individuals conducting the survey. Time of data collection Time data is collected is equally important as it also determines the integrity and credibility of the survey conducted. This is attributed to the fact that if data was collected after the election it would be irrelevant as the prime minister would be in office already. Additionally, if the survey was conducted two years before the election it would also prove to be irrelevant because at the time individuals do not give much consideration to whom they will elect in two years. Additionally, a lot could change within a span of two years, thereby undermining the integrity and credibility of the polls. Therefore, it was important that the polls be conducted at the right timing. This is because by conducting the polls at the perfect time it greatly makes the polls credible. This can be attributed to the fact that most individuals have already made up their minds of who is their most preferred candidate come election time. Additionally, the polls capture the excitement involved with electoral process thereby ensuring that the polls depict the correct position on the ground. Therefore, by conducting the polls a month before the 2013 elections in Australia took place ensured that the results were accurate and represented the desires of the individuals in the country. Reason for data collection The main reason behind the collection of data was to try and determine who among the contestants of the office of prime minister in Australia was likely to win in the forthcoming general elections. In reaching this conclusion the survey contacted individuals through their telephone number and posed various questions. The answer to the questions were recorded and analyzed, thereby coming up with the numbers that each of the contestants garnered in the polls. In doing so, the survey was capable of determining whoa among the contestants was likely to win the forthcoming elections. However, the issue in contention is the reason behind the approach used by the survey in collecting data. One of the main reason behind it was to avoid biasness in collection of data. This is to say that by picking the telephone numbers randomly, it was impossible to predict what answer was given. However, if the numbers were picked systematically, this would have compromised the survey. This is because there is a high chance that the numbers picked would favor one contestant over the other thus discrediting the polls. Additionally, the survey was conducted over various geographical location in an effort to ensure that the polls do not concentrate in one stronghold of one of the contestants. Therefore, by spreading the survey over various geographical areas the survey captures the strongholds of both contestants. At the same time the survey captures areas which are deemed as neutral in that the contestants’ popularity is almost equal. This is in turn ensures that the credibility of the data collected and the survey as a whole is maintained. Limitation of the survey Despite the various advantages associated with quantitative research method such precision in that through quantitative method the survey is able to predict the outcome of the election it bears various limitations. This limitation may prove damaging to the survey in that they may discredit the results of the polls. Therefore, this could mean that even the results of the poll are not accurate as one might have wished as they could be broadcasting an image that does not exist in reality. One limitation to the adopted research method is in relation to human complexities. This is to say that there is always the possibility of individuals changing up their mind, which the survey does not put into consideration. Failure to capture this aspect means that despite the polls indicating a clear winner, this may not be the case come the announcement of the election results. Therefore, as much as quantitative method is precise in determining the future it does not capture the variables that could change an individual’s perceptions. Additionally, it is not objective in that an individual is predestined to answer in a specific way, thereby limiting the answers. Therefore, in some way the survey is predetermined as the answers are usually close. This in return could undermine the credibility of the survey come the official announcement of election results. This is to say that the method adopted by the research deprives of the freedom of choice of the individuals as it does not consider the reasons behind the decisions reached at by the individuals. However, despite this limitations the survey can be deemed to be a positive and successful. This can be attributed to the method adopted and the techniques used in analyzing and displaying the results of the survey. References SHANAHAN, D (2013). Tony Abbott over takes Kevin Rudd a s voters' favoured leader a s Labor sinks to 33pc. The Australian. Read More