Problems with sampling and response rates in phone surveys due to cell phones and answering machines continue to bedevil survey researchers. As the 2016 presidential election approaches, the reliability of election polling is increasingly a focus of concern.  Predictions in some recent elections have been wrong–Israeli support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Conservative strength in Britain.  Moreover, as the response rate in some major U.S. phone surveys has dropped to 8%, there is no clear solution.

The background you need for understanding these problems is in the sampling and survey research chapters of Investigating the Social World.  You can read a recent analysis at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/21/opinion/sunday/whats-the-matter-with-polling.html?_r=0

Have you or your friends responded to surveys sent to your cell phone?  Could this be a solution or is it an invasion of your privacy?

What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of conducting surveys through online websites?