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Document Type

Research Study

Publication Date

6-1984

Abstract

The first SCSU Survey was conducted in October 1980 by Dr. Steve Frank and students in his political science classes. It was an omnibus or general survey of the old 6th congressional district. The random survey of adults who were 18 years and older was a telephone survey in which various areas of the district were sampled and numbers drawn from phone books. Because of the differences in the geographic area, sampling design, and selection procedures, the findings from this survey are not included in this report. In January, 1981 the geographic area of the survey was changed to cover the immediate St. Cloud area. Telephone numbers were drawn from the St. Cloud phone directory. The selection process was changed to the format presently used and explained in a following section. The same format was used for the 5/81, 10/81, 2/82,and 5/82 surveys. Beginning with the October, 1982 survey the telephone numbers were drawn by a process called Randon Digit Dialing and the geographic area was extended to cover an area roughly 15-20 miles around St. Cloud. This format was used in the 10/82, 2/83, 5/83, 10/83 and 5/84 surveys. Sponsors of the survey are the SCSU Departments of Political Science and Sociology, SCSU, and various agencies, organizations, or companies who contribute to the survey. Financial sponsors are given an opportunity to contribute ideas or questions and priority access to survey results. During 1982 and part of 1983 the survey was called the "WJON NEWSPOLL" because the corporation entered into an agreement with the Department of Political Science and SCSU to serve as a major sponsor. In 1984 the survey was renamed the SCSU SURVEY and became a joint endeavor of the Departments of Political Science and Sociology. General responsibility for developing the topics and questions rests with students, senior student directors, faculty directors and some input from sponsors.

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