David A.M. Fraser
8th DAF SOCIAL MEDIA POLL
DATE: February 6th to February 9th, 2011
REPORT OF 8th DAF SOCIAL MEDIA POLL No. 201102068
DAF Social Media Poll was created to monitor public opinion on
Issues, locally as well as internationally.
VISION STATEMENT:
The DAF Social Media Poll is designed to garner public opinion on various issues, both locally and internationally. Our expectation is that information hereby collated be put into action for an improved society and improved total life experience for all citizens and residents of Trinidad and Tobago. In making such improvements we shall touch lives both locally as well as globally thereby improving lives from country to country.
VOTE OF THANKS FROM THE FOUNDER:
“We were approached by Felipe M. Noguera to execute a poll regarding the environment. Mr. Noguera indeed submitted to us the questions he sought to be polled. We observed that the questions were leading questions which served to shape the answers to suit the needs of the provider of those questions. Mr. Noguera wanted the questions to be polled in the manner he indicated. We decided to allow him this opportunity so that we at the DAF Social Media Poll Team could use this both as a comparison between an inequitable and equitable manner of executing a Poll as well as a “lab” research study to better serve our supporters.
In an effort to continue to refine the DAF Social Media Poll model we agreed to post the poll. I, along with my DAF Social Media Poll Team did not in fact agree with the questions posed or the manner in which they were posed however we believed it was a good opportunity to use it as experimental research to better provide you with information. This Poll highlights that leading questions in fact skew poll results. Indeed our hypothesis was proven correct.
As we assess in this report, the questions were aimed at acquiring pre-determined answers. We at the DAF Social Media Poll Team are of the belief that you shall benefit from the knowledge that we endeavour at all times to have fair and just polls as well as results, we are not in favour of leading questions and we certainly continue to perform fairly and justly.
We requested your participation in this poll, which sought to garner group opinion on; ISSUE: ECONOMIC SECURITY – CREATING NEW WEALTH OPPORTUNITY, SUBJECT OF TESTING: THE GREEN ECONOMY. Mr. Felipe Noguera asked;
“1. Is recycling our waste a worthwhile effort for individual citizens to contribute to a cleaner, greener environment?
Select one of the following: Yes – No – Can’t Say Due To Insufficient Information
2. Should government invest returns from its petroleum sector into cleaner, greener, renewable energy projects which though more costly to commence, are sustainable and renewable such as solar, wind and biomass?
Select one of the following: Yes – No – Can’t Say Due To Insufficient Information
3. Is a cleaner, greener approach to energy, the environment and the economy
a viable and worthwhile policy approach for the Peoples Partnership Government at this time?
Select one of the following: Yes – No – Can’t Say Due to Insufficient Information”
We continue to grow both in number and in social awareness, and are pleased that the DAF Social Media Poll is the first of its kind in Trinidad and Tobago, and is primarily used as a tool to inform and educate. Through your participation we have a more informed view of how current events impact you personally and an increased understanding of how family and social life, development, governance and business are all affected by public opinion. Thank you for your kind participation. Please continue to contribute knowing that we can all improve society when we work together to achieve noble objectives.”
Respectfully Submitted,
David A.M. Fraser
Blog: FRONTLINE By David Fraser http://davidamfraser.blogspot.com
Blog: DAF Social Media Poll http://dafsocialmediapoll.blogspot.com/
Facebook: David Fraser
EMAIL US AT: fafaltd@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION:
With the world attempting to diversify away from the dependence on fossil fuels, whether it is energy from coal or hydrocarbons, there is a view that those countries with vast natural energy resources, such as Trinidad and Tobago, should use their wealth windfalls to move into new potential growth areas of business. One such suggestion is that Trinidad and Tobago ought to adopt the concept of the “Green Economy”. This new idea was espoused by Barrack Obama on the campaign trail during the fiercely contested United States Presidential Elections of 2008. Felipe Noguera suggested that the 8th DAF Social Media Poll be on the subject “The Green Economy”.
On February 6th, 2011 David A.M. Fraser and the DAF Social Media Poll Team executed the 8th DAF Social Media Poll through DAVID FRASER’S GROUP. Polling was done via Facebook. Polling took place from February 6th, 2011 through February 9th, 2011. We share this report with you in our effort to highlight that “leading questions”, questions that are posed in a fashion so as to guide contributors to choose a particular answer, are not equitable in the Polling system since they prejudice the results.
OUR AIM:
It is our aim herein to test equitable polling. With this understanding we can measure what necessary improvements ought to be made and instigate processes whereby such improvements are implemented. It is your voice – the voice of the people - that has the power to ensure positive change hence the reason for equity in polling. We accepted this opportunity as an occasion to further research in a scientific manner the hypothesis; ‘whether or not leading poll questions truly skew the results.’ Equipped with your participation in the DAF Social Media Poll, together, we have the ability to impact nations in a more optimal manner.
1. The reason for doing this poll was based on a request to test public reaction on the subject the ‘green economy”.
2. However, the format and presentation of the questions that were provided to us were not accurate.
3. The responses therefore do not allow for the cognitive process of selection based on public perception at the time the poll was taken.
4. This must be viewed as a laboratory example of when polls go wrong.
5. Integrity is important in how samples are taken, how the questionnaire is administered and in how it is analysed.
6. It is very important to note that proprietary methodologies are employed to avoid such problems.
INTEGRITY IN THE DAF SOCIAL MEDIA POLL PROCESS:
1. We note there are those who would attempt to skew polls. We have a policy to remove such persons from our David Fraser social media group on facebook who would deter the equitable and preferred process.
2. We have in fact performed such removals in the past and have made members aware of this. We are always alert to the possibility that we may have to again, should there be just cause to do so.
3. We do not fabricate data.
4. As part of the DAF Social Media Poll’s assessment process we do interface with various contributors before publishing our reports to ensure the integrity of the DAF Social Media Poll model.
FUTURE APPROACHES:
1. Active Focus Groups - we intend to put together active focus groups which we will meet with from time to time to discuss public policy and other issues as part of gauging public opinion, glean common themes and track change in opinion over time.
2. This data will then be matched against our other sources of data.
3. We shall incorporate the element of the free response question within this segment of our empathic research.
NEW IDEAS AND MEASURING SOCIETY:
It is rather important to be able to analyse public satisfaction with governance and leadership, business, civil society and religious and labour leaders. Understanding these phenomenons will greatly impact society and help in the making of policy, attitudes and decisions to resemble what people want as opposed to doing things against their will. In difficult decisions, the importance of debates and public education is fundamental to acquiring public support for new policy direction. Social revolutions such as those presently occurring within Egypt and the Middle East can spread worldwide. We can either learn from these mistakes and change our style of doing things, or fail to heed the wind of change globally, and find ourselves wanting. People are more enlightened today than at any other time. New technology is changing practically everything, every aspect of daily lives.
METHODOLOGY:
We collated information through every form of secure online media available to us in an effort to fulfill our aim. In so doing we are better able to assess issues as well as disseminate the said assessments in a timely fashion. We have further taken into account those persons who may form fictitious names and pages to promote varying interests that would also vote in such a poll.
We poll persons who are genuine, persons whom we actually know. We apply a discounting rate to accommodate the phenomenon of phantom users who attempt to deter progress in any shape or form. Being mindful of the fact that there are persons involved in such activities, we take this opportunity to reassure you that we will continue to refine the DAF Social Media Poll model in a bid to improve accuracy and reliability of the data presented thereby ensuring your voice is heard in our effort to establish a positive impact for all.
ASSESSMENT:
QUESTION 1: IS RECYCLING OUR WASTE A WORTHWHILE EFFORT FOR INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS TO CONTRIBUTE TO A CLEANER, GREENER ENVIRONMENT? |
1. Yes = 100% |
2. No = 0% |
3. Can’t Say Due To Insufficient Information = 0% |
Figure 1 illustrates in percentage the selections made by contributors of the 8th DAF Social Media Poll in relation to question 1.
QUESTION 2: SHOULD GOVERNMENT INVEST RETURNS FROM ITS PETROLEUM SECTOR INTO CLEANER, GREENER, RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS WHICH THOUGH MORE COSTLY TO COMMENCE, ARE SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE SUCH AS SOLAR, WIND AND BIOMASS? |
1. Yes = 100% |
2. No = 0% |
3. Can’t Say Due To Insufficient Information = 0% |
Figure 2 is a chart illustrating in percentages the selections made by contributors of the 8th DAF Social Media Poll in relation to question 2.
QUESTION 3: IS A CLEANER, GREENER APPROACH TO ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECONOMYA VIABLE AND WORTHWHILE POLICY APPROACH FOR THE PEOPLES PARTNERSHIP GOVERNMENT AT THIS TIME? |
1. Yes = 96% |
2. No = 0% |
3. Can’t Say Due To Insufficient Information = 4% |
Figure 3 is a chart illustrating in percentages the selections made by contributors of the 8th DAF Social Media Poll in relation to question 3.
Figure 4 is a Pie Chart illustrating in percentage the selections of “YES” made by contributors of the 8th DAF Social Media Poll in relation to questions 1, 2 and 3 as indicated in this report.
Figure 5 is a Pie Chart illustrating in percentage the selections of “YES” made by contributors of the 8th DAF Social Media Poll in relation to questions 1, 2 and 3 as indicated in this report.
ANALYSIS:
Members were requested to respond by indicating their selection in relation to the options that were open for selection as shown in Figures 1 through 5 of this report. A rather predictable situation occurred. Do note that all contributors to the 8th DAF Social Media Poll are members of the David Fraser Group. This essentially means they are accountable as well as genuine and not merely any fabrication of someone’s imagination.
In our investigation of the results, contributors emphatically stated that the questions were leading questions. One contributor went so far as to provide us with the following feedback, “RE: I could see David did not formulate these questions, they are not his tone. He would not have presented such ‘leading questions’ to be polled." We value such feedback and those who took the time from their busy schedules to send such constructive information to us.
What this feedback indicates is this, people require information to be collated and disseminated in a manner that is honest, a manner that is based on integrity. Furthermore one ought not to lead another as to how to formulate an answer in polls. Polling is essentially an opportunity for contributors to voice their own opinions without being pressured or coerced in any way.
SAMPLE SIZE:
10% of David Fraser’s Group voted on this poll through Facebook. This indicates that our steady flow of contributors who are termed active contributors to our polls have in fact recognised that their contributions are of the utmost value. This steady, stable activity further indicates that contributors are most interested in continuing to voice their opinions with the intention of making an impact for positive change.
HOW THE SAMPLE WAS TAKEN:
The sample was taken by way of information collated from the online contributions made by Members of David Fraser’s Group on Facebook. Once again our valued members were contacted via Facebook inbox messages as well as a visible poll on the David Fraser Group’s page.Information was analysed and presented in relation to the percentage of Members who cast their vote via this social media poll.
CONCLUSION:
Now we have scientific data supporting our belief that the formatting of questions indeed plays a large role in both the manner the questions are answered as well as the analysis of responses received. The 8th DAF Social Media Poll clearly indicates that best results as well as just results are produced only when we act as emphatic researchers thereby allowing contributors to make their own decisions and not be guided to make a decision that another is desirous of them to make.
It is noteworthy that the contributions from Members of David Fraser’s Group in this poll, indicates that we are continuing along the path of social awareness and education which leads us as a group, to increased success. Together we are indeed building successful nations.
Respectfully Submitted,
The DAF Social Media Poll Team
Blog: FRONTLINE By David Fraser http://davidamfraser.blogspot.com
Blog: DAF Social Media Poll http://dafsocialmediapoll.blogspot.com/
Facebook: David Fraser
EMAIL US AT: fafaltd@gmail.com
David A.M Fraser
fafaltd@gmail.com
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