Background Memo

The most recent poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind was conducted by telephone from June 28th through July 9th using a national, randomly selected sample of 800 adults aged 18 and over. The sampling error for 800 adults is 3.5 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence. During the same timeframe, 500 randomly selected New Jersey adult residents were interviewed. The sampling error for 500 adults is 4.5 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling error. This kind of error, which cannot be measured, arises from a number of factors including, but not limited to, non-response (eligible individuals refusing to be interviewed), question wording, the order in which questions are asked, and variations among interviewers. The interviews were conducted by TMR, Inc. of Parsippany, NJ. Professionally trained interviewers using a CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing system) conducted all interviews. Random selection was conducted through computerized random-digit dialing. This technique gives every person with a phone number an equal chance of being selected including those with unlisted numbers. The wording of the questions included in this release are as follows:

Closed-ended questions

Considering again the whole country, do you think the cost and availability of electricity, gasoline, natural gas, and other forms of energy is a crisis in the United States, is a major problem, a minor problem, or is no problem at all?

Do you think the cost and availability of electricity, gasoline, natural gas, and other forms of energy is a crisis in your state, is a major problem, a minor problems, or is no problem at all?

Considering each type of energy problem separately, would you say...is a crisis for the country, a major problem, a minor problem, or is no problem at all?
the price of gasoline
shortage of electricity resulting in blackouts and brown outs
the price of home heating oil and natural gas for home heating
the price of electricity

Now tell me if...deserves a great deal of blame, some blame, not much blame, or no blame at all for the energy problems in this country?
U.S. Oil Companies
Americans Who Don't Conserve Energy
Foreign Nations That Export Oil
Congress
Environmental Regulations
The Bush Administration
The ClintonAdministration

Open-ended questions

What do you think are the most important problems facing your state at the present time?

Now, thinking about the whole country, what are the most important problems facing the United States at the present time?

see also:
Larson's Analysis
Thigpen's Analysis
Salmore's Analysis
Survey Details

Copyright © 2001, Fairleigh Dickinson University. All rights reserved. FDU PublicMind Poll [Latest update 010719]