Surveys: scientific predictions or navel gazing?
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2010
TITLE AUTHOR(S): J.M.waKivilu, R.Mmotlane
KEYWORDS: ELECTIONS, RESEARCH, SURVEY RESEARCH
DEPARTMENT: Equitable Education and Economies (IED)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 6641
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/3972
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/3972
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
The aim of this article is to interrogate the nature of survey research as a scientific tool in general and to trace the development of its use in political and government settings, especially in South Africa to predict election results. The study strives to establish whether or not some pre-election surveys in South Africa rely on inadequate methodology, or else succumb to political pressure to produce predictions that favor a certain party. Attention is directed to issues of reliability and the validity of survey results that can predict the outcomes of elections with a high degree of accuracy.-
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