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Major Holocaust Poll Shows Bias

Major Holocaust Poll Shows Bias. Case study of a flawed survey. Survey Results: Holocaust Doubters.

kathleen-patterson
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Major Holocaust Poll Shows Bias

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  1. Major Holocaust Poll Shows Bias Case study of a flawed survey

  2. Survey Results: Holocaust Doubters • In April 1993, just days before the opening of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, newspapers across the country reported "chilling" and "startling" news: 22 percent of American adults surveyed in a major public opinion poll said they thought it was possible that "the Nazi extermination of the Jews" never took place. • An additional twelve percent of adult respondents in the survey -- sponsored by the American Jewish Committee and conducted by the Roper organization -- said they did not know if it was possible or impossible.

  3. "What have we done?" asked a stunned Elie Wiesel, famous writer and Holocaust survivor. "We have been working for years and years […] I am shocked that 22 percent -- oh, my God."

  4. Flawed Wording • Results of the AJC/Roper survey were inaccurate • Question 16: "Does it seem possible or does it seem impossible to you that the Nazi extermination of the Jews never happened?" • Confusing compound structure and double negative wording • Likely that some of the 992 adults and 506 high school students surveyed may have believed that the Nazis exterminated millions of Jews but nevertheless agreed that it "seems" impossible.

  5. Revision • AJC redid the poll: • "Does it seem possible to you that the Nazi extermination of the Jews never happened, or do you feel certain that it happened?" • The results of the second poll: Only about one percent of Americans thought it was possible the Holocaust never happened, while eight percent were unsure.

  6. To learn • Polls and surveys can provide important information about the public's beliefs. • But to be valid, they must be well-structured. • We should always look for information about: • the sample size • representativeness of the population • whether the participants were random or self-selected • and so on.

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