Which of the following is true of public opinion polls?

1. A public opinion poll is a survey designed to collect information about the views, attitudes, and opinions of a selected group of people. 2. For a poll to be reliable, it generally uses a sample that is randomly selected so that it is representative of the larger population. 3. The findings of a poll provide a snapshot of public sentiment at the time the survey is conducted. 4. Every poll has a margin of error that quantifies the extent to which the sample’s results might differ from the true population value. 5. Methodological factors such as question wording, response options, and administration method can affect the results. Thus, the true statement about public opinion polls is that if they are well‐designed and use a representative sample, they offer a snapshot of public attitudes at a particular time, but with an associated margin of error that must be taken into account when interpreting the results.