In this course, we have discussed how public opinion is formed and various influences on the opinions we hold. In this paper, you will select a political topic that is important to you and explore the influences on your opinion and how different groups of Americans think about the topic.
Step 1:
Using either Pew Research Center or Gallup (see the public opinion topic guides listed below), select a public opinion question on a political topic that is important to you.
This could be a question about a specific policy issue (for example, abortion access, legalization of marijuana), an opinion about an elected official (for example, presidential approval ratings of Joe Biden or Donald Trump), views about how well the current political system is working (for example, trust in Congress), or underlying political values (for example, the importance of freedom of speech).
– You must select an opinion on a topic that has been surveyed by either Pew Research Center or Gallup (use the links below).
https://www.pewresearch.org/topics-categorized/ https://news.gallup.com/poll/trends.aspx
Step 2:
Briefly describe how you came to your opinion on your selected topic. In your opinion, which influence(s) on public opinion (discussed in the book and in class) had the greatest effect on what you believe on your topic? Why do you think this is?
Step 3:
Using either Pew or Gallup, look at how the American public feels about your topic. Are there differences between groups of Americans (for example, do Republicans and Democrats differ? What about women and men? Younger Americans and older Americans? Etc.). Choose one of these groups, and briefly discuss why you think they might hold different opinions on your topic, referencing Ch. 6 of the textbook.
Requirements:
– A strong paper will reference and cite Chapter 6 of the textbook (use any citation style but be consistent).
– 2-3 pages, 12-point font, double spaced
