Teaching Students to Conduct Faulty Studies

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Today's paper had two very conflicting stories in it. The first was a small article by the Associated Press that stated that 70 percent of Arizona voters support allowing undocumented (illegal) immigrants to receive US citizenship. The survey that was used to come to this conclusion polled 386 voters and was conducted by the "Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University). In other words, it was a student project. The second was an article that Arizona voters are starting a recall petition for Senator McCain and Senator Kyl for their support of that same piece of legislation that is currently in the Senate. This story was also broadcast over our local radio station. Here in our city, the only ones who are supporting this bill are a few business owners (who are profiting from illegal workers); a hand full of religious leaders (who feel that legal status does not matter, we are all God's children); and a few individuals who are either here illegally or are trying to get relatives in the country through ANY means. So why this major discrepancy in the poll results and the actual citizens opinions? Obviously, this survey was being used to: 1) show students how to get the results you want in a poll/survey 2) provide a news article showing support for a bill that really has very little support 3) try to sway voters who are against this bill by making them THINK they are in a minority I also noticed that no comment was made about the grade it received from the students instructors. It just goes to show, how the media will grab hold of ANY little bit of information that it can use to further it's own agenda.