• Hypx@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      7 months ago

      The main issue is that no one can generate random samples anymore. Not via landlines anyways. The problem is that scientific polling is nearly impossible now.

    • Heresy_generator@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      7 months ago

      Neither 179 nor 168 is enough of a sample size to draw conclusions; if you don’t understand that then your statistics professor completely failed.

      The total sample doesn’t matter when you’re only pulling out a small part of it. If I polled 10,000 people but only 20 of them were over 100 I can’t go around saying shit like “A majority of people over 100 say” this or that.

      • swiftcasty@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        edit-2
        7 months ago

        The smallest number I have heard for a statistically significant sample size is 30, from numerous statistics professors at different schools. A quick google search shows that 100 is generally agreed upon to be sufficient to get meaningful results. 179 and 168 should be plenty big enough.

        However, there are other areas where these surveys could be erring: namely collection method or location, which could be skewing results one way or another. These factors are not reported on in the articles.

        Personally, none of my friends who are in the target demographic are planning to vote for Trump.