Russ Steele
These simple web polls are not intended to be scientific polls, but they should at least include a sample size. They are not random samples taken from a large population, only the views of people that visit the blog and take the poll. So, the answers do not represent the views of the community, only the views of blog readers.
However the starting point in assessing the value of any poll,scientific or not, is sample size. For example The Union Polls lists the number of people taking a poll.
The larger the sample sizes the more valid the poll. With the sample size known the reader can atleast estimate the potential value of the results. If only one or two people answer, not much value.
Why are the samples sizes missing from the Pelline Blog Polls? Could it be it might reveal how few people really read the blog, or is simply how few people choose to vote on the poll question? I will leave the answer up the the reader.
