(a) Define opinion poll. (b). state any four factors that make the conduct of opinion poll unreliable in West Africa

Answer Details

(a) Definition of opinion poll

An opinion poll is a method of measuring or sampling the views of a selected section of the public (a representative sample) on a political, social or economic issue, and using those sampled views to predict or represent the opinion of the whole population.

(b) Four factors that make opinion polls unreliable in West Africa

1. High level of illiteracy: Many respondents cannot properly understand the questions asked, so their answers do not reflect informed opinion.
2. Poor and inaccurate statistical/census data: Without a reliable population register, pollsters cannot draw a truly representative sample.
3. Fear and suspicion: Many people are afraid to reveal their true political views to strangers, so they give false or evasive answers.
4. Inadequate funding and poor communication/transport infrastructure: Polls are costly and large parts of the region are hard to reach, so samples are too small or biased towards easily accessible urban areas.

(Others: influence of ethnicity and religion, dishonest or biased pollsters, and volatile, easily-changing opinions.)