• 26% of Americans don't know who we declared independence from
    170 replies, posted
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;23145073]Then you don't know shit about polling.[/QUOTE] 1,004 people out of a population of ~325 million. I'm calling bullshit.
[QUOTE=the_KMM;23145260]1,004 people out of a population of ~325 million. I'm calling bullshit.[/QUOTE] Margin of error is ±5%. Don't call bullshit.
This is just terrible. We here at Latvia take pride in knowing our history and we extensively learn geography in school. I just don't understand why the average American likes not knowing what is outside his USAYY and now not even knowing the basic history of their country. How the hell are these people in any way productive towards the culture of the nation?!
We clearly declared independence from glorious North Korea, any other answer is frivolous and will result in assimilation [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3565759415_f5b0beed7e.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=plokoon9619;23143591]I wasn't aware of a poll asking the entire country to vote for who they think we declared independence from.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=StephenOrlov;23143599]I hate shit like this. It is most likely not accurate at all. I can drive to a shit hole part of town where no one is educated and they are on drugs and ask them this question and of course they won't fucking know it. It's just like this "you swallow 12 spiders a year in your sleep" shit. They ran tests on tons of people and the one god damn homeless person swallowed 300 fucking spiders ruins the outcome for everyone else. Inaccurate studies. -.-[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=massn7;23143609]The poll surveyed 1,004 people out of a country of over three hundred million brilliant[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=PrismatexV8;23143613]This was most likely a randomized phone poll.[/QUOTE] Oh hey. [QUOTE=PrismatexV8;23143441]The poll had 3% margin of error.[/QUOTE] That means the different education levels, locations (and some other factors) of the people the surveyed represent the actual percentages of those groups in the total US population. They compare that to the census data in terms of percentage and see how accurate it represents it. That 3% margin of error is because they couldn't represent the census data 100%. That three percent probably represents homeless people and some other non-reachable people. 1000 people is a good enough number to make accurate estimates for a country like the United States. More diverse countries need more people surveyed, and less diverse countries need less people surveyed. It's pretty simple.
[QUOTE=creefer;23145456]Oh hey. That means the different education levels, locations (and some other factors) of the people the surveyed represent the actual percentages of those groups in the total US population. They compare that to the census data in terms of percentage and see how accurate it represents it. That 3% margin of error is because they couldn't represent the census data 100%. That three percent probably represents homeless people and some other non-reachable people. 1000 people is a good enough number to make accurate estimates for a country like the United States. More diverse countries need more people surveyed, and less diverse countries need less people surveyed. It's pretty simple.[/QUOTE] Not to dispute overall polling science, but I've never seen a country as diverse as the United States. How does 1004 people possibly represent every major demographic?
[QUOTE=Regulas021;23146088]Not to dispute overall polling science, but I've never seen a country as diverse as the United States. How does 1004 people possibly represent every major demographic?[/QUOTE] Racially, canada is far more diverse.
[QUOTE=Regulas021;23146088]Not to dispute overall polling science, but I've never seen a country as diverse as the United States. How does 1004 people possibly represent every major demographic?[/QUOTE] we go through this bullshit every time such and such poll comes out saying whatever. you're never gonna get 100% accurate demographic.
Weren't parts of America also run by France and Spain. Or am I currently forgetting the part where we drove them out entirely then pissed off Britain
[QUOTE=plokoon9619;23143591]I wasn't aware of a poll asking the entire country to vote for who they think we declared independence from.[/QUOTE] Asking an entire country would be impossible. It is generally agreed that polling around 1400 people gives an accurate depiction of group of people, provided they are selected at random within the group.
[QUOTE=Edthefirst;23143506]I always doubt the accuracy of these polls. Maybe I'm just dumbfounded by the amount of idiots that exist.[/QUOTE] I doubt the accuracy because of the small amount of people polled, the way I see it if someone wants to go x amount of people are whatever they need to go out and poll every last person in that country/town/whatever rather than just generalising after basing it off just 1004 people.
[QUOTE=markg06;23146467]I doubt the accuracy because of the small amount of people polled, the way I see it if someone wants to go x amount of people are whatever they need to go out and poll every last person in that country/town/whatever rather than just generalising after basing it off just 1004 people.[/QUOTE] Well that's really not how polling works, and luckily, it really doesn't take that many people to get a fairly accurate sample, yes more is better, but you don't need more because after a certain point, you've pretty much got it as accurate as you're going to.
this is unacceptable.
[QUOTE=markg06;23146467]I doubt the accuracy because of the small amount of people polled, the way I see it if someone wants to go x amount of people are whatever they need to go out and poll every last person in that country/town/whatever rather than just generalising after basing it off just 1004 people.[/QUOTE] Hey Hey listen okay Poll rundown time: There is a point where the accuracy of polls stops increasing by adding more participants. This point is decided upon by using math and science and shit. Trust me, these guys likely have hundreds - maybe even thousands - of combined years of research, they know their stuff. Now, when you don't hit that point (and sometimes even when you do, it depends on the poll's subject and how it was taken) something called a [b]margin of error[/b] is introduced. This means that the results could actually be skewed by x per cent in either direction. But Zeke, surely it can't TRULY be random, right? Well guy, let me tell you something. The margin of error takes this into account too! The medium that the poll is presented on can also introduce its own margin of error! For example, if the poll was done on Facepunch you have to introduce a huge margin of error to account for retards pressing the wrong button. (This would have been studied beforehand! Holy crap these guys are thorough!) But Zeke, this poll was done by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion! That sounds like and has the same anagram as Marxist Institute for Propaganda Only! Well glaber, if you're reading this, you were banned. Stop.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;23143803]Why does it seem like no Facepuncher understands how polling science works?[/QUOTE] Agreed.
[QUOTE=PrismatexV8;23143441] Good job, public education.[/QUOTE] The government is not here to provide services at a barrel of a gun. In other words we shouldn't be forced to go to school. Quite sad that 26 percent I highly doubt it's that high.
Anyone got that Video where they asked a guy who were the members of the WWII axis? " Brazil China Mexico France" etc.
I'm often becoming more ashamed to be in this country, in which retards like these represent me as an American. Our education is a complete joke, I call for a reform on that before any of this other crap. It's too late for me anyway though, I graduate in about 10 months from this broken public school system.
[QUOTE=the_KMM;23145260]1,004 people out of a population of ~325 million. I'm calling bullshit.[/QUOTE] For fuck sake, they choose populations that are representative of the general population. As much as it sucks, it's pretty fucking accurate. [editline]01:06PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Aide;23147356]The government is not here to provide services at a barrel of a gun. In other words we shouldn't be forced to go to school. Quite sad that 26 percent I highly doubt it's that high.[/QUOTE] Shouldn't be forced to go to school? Get ready to watch the number sky rocket to 100%, scientific advancement in America stagnate and get ready for the dark ages to surge back with a vengeance.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;23144407]GPA stops at 4. :downsbravo:[/QUOTE] APs.
I didn't know that either, until today. I don't live in America though.
I hate people. Dumbfucks. How did we evolve to now? What the hell.
this is just sad
[QUOTE=Conscript;23143575]I think those 261 did it for shits and giggles[/QUOTE] gonna have to go with this [editline]09:19AM[/editline] If someone stopped me on the street and asked me something like that I would say something just to throw off their results.
I bet those people didn't have education or something. Still, pretty idiotic, since you would see the answer everywhere on the North Eastern Coast.
[QUOTE=plokoon9619;23143591]I wasn't aware of a poll asking the entire country to vote for who they think we declared independence from.[/QUOTE] You also seem to be unaware that it is generally accepted that the opinions of a large number of randomly selected people, is more often than not, representative of a much larger number of people.
I thought the only history that got taught in America was American history. Surely everyone should know
I'm going to assume they were southern. The majority of the americans I know are pretty smart.
26% also think 9/11 was an inside job.
[QUOTE=PrismatexV8;23143613]This was most likely a randomized phone poll.[/QUOTE] Phone poll? People never take those seriously! I'm pretty sure that only 10% don't know.
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