{"id":701,"date":"2019-04-08T17:13:47","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T17:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/04\/08\/a-snapshot-in-time\/"},"modified":"2020-09-05T19:33:25","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T19:33:25","slug":"a-snapshot-in-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/04\/08\/a-snapshot-in-time\/","title":{"rendered":"A snapshot in time: A look inside the Quinnipiac University Poll"},"content":{"rendered":"<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/img_6782.jpg\" alt=\"img_6782.jpg\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/img_6782.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/img_6782.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1875\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"img_6782.jpg\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab7a3f104c7b660e774bae\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">By Owen Meech<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">JAN 27 &#8211; As midnight approaches at Quinnipiac University and Sunday night turns into Monday, students on the Mount Carmel Campus are making their way to bed and readying themselves for a new work week.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Just down the street, however, the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute is wide awake, as interviewers use the last 15 minutes of their shift scrambling to get those last-minute national survey completions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">It\u2019s a night just like any other at 60 West Woods Road in Hamden, Connecticut.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Callers sit in rows of wooden cubicles, armed with a computer, headset and manual dialer. The interviewers are a mixed bag of students and local residents, creating a steady hubbub that encompasses the two-story facility.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6781.jpg\" alt=\"Manual dialer at polling station\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6781.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6781.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1875\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Manual dialer at polling station\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab7abc71c10b7d2f5ca2b1\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Manual dialer at polling station<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Tonight, interviewers are asking who American voters trust more \u201con issues that are important\u201d to them: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Two days prior, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history had just come to a conclusion. Centered around a disagreement on border security between Republicans and Democrats, Trump sought $5.7 billion toward constructing a wall on the southern border. Democrats called the request \u201cimmoral\u201d and a waste of taxpayer money.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The shutdown, which resulted in 380,000 federal workers being furloughed and an additional 420,000 workers being required to work without any known payment date, eventually ended when both chambers of the House approved a plan to reopen the government for a three-week period to negotiate a suitable appropriations bill.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">When the survey results were released Jan. 29, the Quinnipiac Poll found that in the immediate aftermath, American voters trusted Pelosi more than Trump, 49 to 42 percent.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cThe first round of many to come in the heavyweight bout goes the speaker&#8217;s way as Trump takes the hit for the shutdown and his party is suffering along with him,&#8221; Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll said in a statement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In the same survey, Donald Trump\u2019s approval rating took a hit. At 38 percent, the commander in chief dropped down from 41 percent approval just two weeks earlier.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">And with each survey that comes to a close, the Quinnipiac Poll provides us with a snapshot in time. In just a matter of days, the Poll is able to capture and present an intricate picture of the nation\u2019s political landscape.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">For Quinnipiac Poll Director Dr. Doug Schwartz, the key is staying on top of the news, asking the right questions, and relying on his team of a dozen polling analysts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:975.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:56.71794891357422%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/2_Picture1.png\" alt=\"Quinnipiac University Poll Director Doug Schwartz (courtesy: poll.qu.edu)\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/2_Picture1.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/2_Picture1.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"975x553\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Quinnipiac University Poll Director Doug Schwartz (courtesy: poll.qu.edu)\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab7b63b3af370001ca955e\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Quinnipiac University Poll Director Doug Schwartz (courtesy: poll.qu.edu)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIt\u2019s a back and forth,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of rewrites of a survey. Oftentimes when we\u2019re doing a national poll, there\u2019s a lot of breaking national news every day, that we\u2019ll constantly need to rewrite the survey to respond to the late breaking events.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Responding to the latest breaking news is par for the course for Schwartz, the self-proclaimed political junkie who has been the Quinnipiac Poll Director since 1994, when he was just 27 years old.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI love watching the news,\u201d Schwartz&nbsp;said.\u201cI can watch what\u2019s happening and then I have this great opportunity to ask questions of voters and get their reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Crafting poll questions is no easy feat, though. Schwartz &#8211; who previously worked for&nbsp;CBS News as an analyst for the late \u201c60 Minutes\u201d correspondent, Ed Bradley &#8211;&nbsp;describes the process as painstakingly meticulous. Wording questions clearly, concisely and neutrally is crucial to maintaining the integrity of any survey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cMaybe a question is too vague and we need to rewrite it to make it clearer. Maybe there are certain words in a question that might push a respondent in a certain direction,\u201d Schwartz explained. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to write neutral, fair, balanced questions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Coming up with questions was an easier task back when the Quinnipiac Poll only conducted surveys in Connecticut. After New York and New Jersey were added to the mix, national polls followed in 2001. Now, with polls conducted in 12 states, polling analysts for each state are called upon to help draft each and every survey.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWe have polling analysts in all of our states and nationally talk about what are the big issues, what are the questions we should be asking, and then we will draft a survey based on what we think are the most newsworthy issues at the time,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cWe will vet the survey, so there will be multiple pairs of eyes that look over the survey and give feedback, and then whatever concerns are raised, we will address them.\u201d<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:408.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:91.78082275390625%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture2.jpg\" alt=\"Mary Snow, head polling analyst for New York and New Jersey (courtesy: poll.qu.edu)\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture2.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture2.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"408x506\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Mary Snow, head polling analyst for New York and New Jersey (courtesy: poll.qu.edu)\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab7e7b419202dcd3ec598d\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Mary Snow, head polling analyst for New York and New Jersey (courtesy: poll.qu.edu)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">One of those pairs of eyes belongs to Mary Snow, the Quinnipiac Poll\u2019s head polling analyst for New York and New Jersey. Snow and her team are tasked with thoroughly analyzing the data and producing press releases.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWe always get Doug\u2019s input,\u201d Snow said. \u201cWe ask, \u2018Doug, you\u2019ve been doing this for 20 years, what do you see? What strikes you as most significant in these polls.\u2019 Then we craft how we\u2019re going to present it. What are the top issues for the media? What is most newsworthy?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The veteran journalist and former CNN correspondent began working at the Poll this past July, and calls upon her previous career to help guide her in her newest position.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"><strong>\u201c<\/strong>As a polling analyst, you really draw upon what you do as a journalist by staying on top of all the issues that are making news,\u201d Snow said. \u201cYou look for developments on issues that you may be polling about.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">For Snow, one of these recent issues was the Amazon deal that was rejected by New York City.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cThe polling we did about the Amazon deal in New York played an important part in the conversation,\u201d Snow said. \u201cWe asked several questions and we saw that people were really conflicted about parts of this deal, so it wasn\u2019t a very black and white issue, there were a lot of nuances.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">And while she says that giving a voice to ordinary people is her favorite part of the job, Snow says it\u2019s maintaining a relationship with the media that really runs the gamut.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cAfter [our press release] is sent to the media, you are on tap to do interviews,\u201d Snow said. \u201cYou are there to answer whatever questions someone may have when reporting on this poll. You can get a call from a college radio station or you can get a call from the New York Times.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Despite Snow\u2019s dedication to availability and transparency, she warns that journalists still don\u2019t always get the story right.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI think we saw this in 2016,\u201d Snow said, referring to the last presidential election. \u201cPolls are not perfect and that\u2019s why they have a margin of error. Sometimes the media can jump to winners and losers. Forecasting is not what we do. We give a snapshot in time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Snow believes journalists have stepped back since 2016, however, and called rampant, over-eager reporting, \u201ca collective lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Schwartz echoed Snow\u2019s sentiment, and claimed the mistrust of polling data could be attributed to widespread misreporting and a lack of understanding.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWith Florida, when we were polling, our final poll had Hillary Clinton ahead by 1 point, and our headline and lead said this is too close to call, this is within the margin of error. It could go either way,\u201d said Schwartz. \u201cBut the perception was still, \u2018Oh Hillary Clinton is ahead in Florida,\u2019 and that\u2019s how it got interpreted. The polls weren\u2019t saying that. The polls were saying Florida could go either way. It ended up that Donald Trump won by 1 point, well within the poll\u2019s margin of error.\u201d<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6753.jpg\" alt=\"Quinnipiac University Poll sign at the Whitney Avenue location\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6753.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6753.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1875\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Quinnipiac University Poll sign at the Whitney Avenue location\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab80536822f10001236ab4\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Quinnipiac University Poll sign at the Whitney Avenue location<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">With 2016 in the rearview mirror, Schwartz and his team now look forward to an electric race in 2020, particularly with so many Democrats throwing their hats in the ring for the chance to take on President Trump.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The stakes remain high for the Quinnipiac Poll, as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) recently declared it would be using the Quinnipiac Poll as one that will determine which candidates are eligible for the upcoming primary debates.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cA candidate has to get at least 1 percent in three polls; either a national poll, or one of the early voting states, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cIf they do that, then they make the debates.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Schwartz said the DNC\u2019s decision was made along the same guidelines CNN and Fox News used to select which Republican candidates were eligible for the debates in 2016. Schwartz called the polls chosen, \u201cgold standard\u201d polls \u2013 ones that use live interviewers and call cell phones.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The Quinnipiac Poll began calling cell phones in 2012, in a move that Schwartz calls the biggest change in methodology since he began directing the poll over two decades ago. He credits the addition as an important way to ensure each survey gets adequate representation from younger voters.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">During national polls, interviewers are divided in half between landlines and cell phones. With such a large magnitude of numbers to dial each shift, Schwartz said proper scheduling is of the utmost importance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cGoing into a survey, we have a plan,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cWe\u2019ll say \u2018we are trying to get 1,200 registered voters,\u2019 and we know we are going to need this many interviewers working this many nights in order to achieve it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Jean Amazan,&nbsp;survey call center operations manager, agrees, and says scheduling and managing the staff is the most difficult part of the operation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIt would be very easy for us to poll if we could get people in their seats when we need them to be,\u201d Amazan said. \u201cThat\u2019s the hardest part.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The Poll is hindered, however, in that the interviewer position is a part time job, and many of the interviewers are Quinnipiac students. Non-students can\u2019t work more than 19.5 hours a week, and students can\u2019t work more than 15 hours a week.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWhen the students are here, we set the number of expected cancellations higher because we know students are more likely to cancel than the non-students,\u201d Amazan said. \u201cThe meat on the bone is really getting people in their seat dialing numbers and getting those completes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Despite the scheduling obstacles, the Quinnipiac Poll rarely fails to meet its goal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWe try not to let it happen,\u201d Dorothy Donarum, manager of interviewer operations said. \u201cWe\u2019ll extend hours if we see that we\u2019re getting a lot of cancellations. We\u2019ll make it a \u2018B week\u2019 so everyone will work an extra shift.\u201d<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:776.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture3.png\" alt=\"Dorothy Donarum and Carmen Carranza\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture3.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture3.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"776x582\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Dorothy Donarum and Carmen Carranza\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab7eed15fcc0ab975c0410\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Dorothy Donarum and Carmen Carranza<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Donarum, who began working at the poll in 1999 as an interviewer, emphasized the importance of getting enough completes to make the data viable, which is dependent upon adequate scheduling.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIf you\u2019re going to the press, you can\u2019t go to the press saying \u2018I polled 500 people,\u2019\u201d Amazan added. \u201cIf you say you\u2019re going to poll 1,000 registered people you want to have 1,000 registered people &#8211; and if you don\u2019t have people to get that data, you don\u2019t have the result that you\u2019re expecting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Carmen Carranza, assistant manager of interviewer operations, also started working as an interviewer, and noted that the amount of completes can vary on a daily basis.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cYou notice a difference when you go into the room,\u201d Carranza said. \u201cIt all depends on the state and the day of the week too, but on a Saturday morning it\u2019s very busy, a lot of people are answering the phone, but the Saturday second shift you walk in there and hardly anybody is on a survey.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">With the significance of workplace attendance in mind, Carranza, Amazan and Donarum still believe that working around student schedules is a must.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6749.jpg\" alt=\"Polling stations located at the Quinnipiac Poll Whitney Avenue location\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6749.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6749.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1875\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Polling stations located at the Quinnipiac Poll Whitney Avenue location\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab7f36419202dcd3ec62ff\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Polling stations located at the Quinnipiac Poll Whitney Avenue location<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWe realize that the students are here to go to school and there\u2019s a lot of meetings and whatnot at night,\u201d Donarum said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIf you have something at school, just let us know and we\u2019ll work with you,\u201d Amazan added. \u201cWe try to talk to [students] and help them because you\u2019re not going to be in college the rest of your life. You eventually graduate and join the workforce, and if you don\u2019t show up to work, your boss is going to tell you \u2018bye.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">While scheduling complications will always be a hurdle for the Quinnipiac Poll, there is no lack of passion from the management team.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIt\u2019s kind of exciting on a night where it\u2019s the last night of our survey and we\u2019re aiming to get 1,200 registered [voters] and we\u2019re at 1,191, you know, and it\u2019s like quarter of nine,\u201d Donarum said. \u201cEveryone gets very excited and I love to see that happen when we make our goal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Amazan concurred, highlighting how stressful the job can be when time is of the essence. Seeing the results come to fruition, however, makes all that stress worthwhile.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cOnce you get to the end of survey and you make it happen and reach the goal, I think that\u2019s the best part of the job,\u201d Amazan said.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Going from a single state polling facility to a nationally recognized institution has been integral in making Quinnipiac University a household name. According to former Quinnipiac President John Lahey, the university shells out about $2 million annually to keep the operation running, and students and staff alike agree that it has been money well spent.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">According to Scott McLean, Chairman for the school\u2019s Department of Philosophy and Political Science, there is no shortage of benefits to being employed by the poll.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIf they\u2019re willing to take the effort, [students] would be able to understand the work of pollsters and survey research,\u201d McLean said. \u201cIt really depends on the students\u2019 interests and desires. We\u2019ve had students that went from being interviewers all the way to being full-time staff at the Poll.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">McLean said students who are interested in learning how to use polling data have additional opportunities to engage with public opinion polling in classes, such as \u2018Political Psychology and Public Opinion\u2019 which he teaches, and a course on statistics for social sciences in the math department.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:487.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:100.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture4.png\" alt=\"Quinnipiac student Amanda Perelli (courtesy: Kody Murphy)\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture4.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Picture4.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"487x487\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Quinnipiac student Amanda Perelli (courtesy: Kody Murphy)\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab7fae104c7baa3df5664d\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Quinnipiac student Amanda Perelli (courtesy: Kody Murphy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">On top of all that, the Poll is a great way for students to hear from a variety of voices across the country with an extensive range of political beliefs. It\u2019s also an opportunity for college students to earn a little extra cash. In fact, the interviewer position is one of the highest paying jobs around campus.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">One of those students taking advantage of all the Quinnipiac Poll has to offer is Amanda Perelli, senior journalism major.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIt\u2019s actually an interesting job,\u201d Perelli said. \u201cYou are participating in collecting data that will be used nationally, and that\u2019s a big deal. People all over the country look to and rely on the data you are working towards collecting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Perelli admits however, that the job can be tiring, especially when you\u2019re dialing numbers for hours at a time with little to show for it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIt surprised me how little people want to participate,\u201d Perelli explained. \u201cOut of 200 calls, we only get about three real responses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">&nbsp;When over 100 employees are present, those three responses are necessary pieces of the larger picture. They add up to create that invaluable snapshot in time.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">&nbsp;But besides the paycheck, Perelli says learning to speak clearly and confidently by interviewing respondents is immensely beneficial as a rising journalist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">&nbsp;\u201cI\u2019ve learned how to be confident in what I am saying and how to articulate my words so that others can understand me,\u201d Perelli said. \u201cThis is a great skill to have in any career.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">&nbsp;Senior political science major Hannah Ellis agreed, but noted observing geographical political differences as one of the most interesting aspects of the job.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">&nbsp;\u201cIt\u2019s been really eye opening to see how people view certain political issues, especially as a political science major,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cI used to intern for a political messaging firm that took polling data and used it to form campaign messaging for politicians and it\u2019s so interesting to see how these polls are collected.\u201d<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6752.jpg\" alt=\"Quinnipiac Poll Whitney Avenue building\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6752.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6752.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1875\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Quinnipiac Poll Whitney Avenue building\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab800d6822f1000123663e\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Quinnipiac Poll Whitney Avenue building<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">&nbsp;Understanding the inner workings of data collection is not the only skill students are taking away from working at the Poll, however. Junior political science and economics major Tyler Brierley often applies information he\u2019s gathered at work to his classes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cThe surveys we conducted gave me insight into what was going on politically on the state and federal level,\u201d Brierley said. \u201cThis helped when I was taking&nbsp;my Congress and the Presidency class as well as my American Political Movements class. We would always talk about current events and their politicalside effects.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Current events and their political side effects is truly what the whole operation is about. The Quinnipiac Poll works tirelessly to provide a snapshot in time, from data collection to analysis and presentation, and everything in between.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Schwartz and his team show no plans of slowing down as we plug along towards 2020, and the Quinnipiac Poll will surely remain the place to go for the most accurate snapshots of our ever-changing political landscape.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6783.jpg\" alt=\"Quinnipiac University Polling Institute at West Woods location\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6783.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_6783.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1875\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Quinnipiac University Polling Institute at West Woods location\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5cab80a5b3af370001cae962\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>Quinnipiac University Polling Institute at West Woods location<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">A behind the scenes look at one of the most prominent polling institutes in the United States.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":702,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[39,241],"class_list":["post-701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-capstone-projects","tag-quinnipiac-polls","tag-quinnipiac-university"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=701"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2133,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701\/revisions\/2133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}