Science Behind the News - Opinion Polls & Random Sampling

The aim of an opinion poll is to get a sense about a population and where they stand on some particular set of issues or policies. Even though the polls rely on just a slice of the population to gauge public opinion, they are far more accurate than you might think, which is one reason why they play such a special role in politics. As Election Day 2012 draws closer, the science of public opinion polls will help give a clear snapshot of who might be our next president.