The Gallup Organization provides market research and consulting services around the world. Gallup pub lishes the Gallup Poll, a widely recognized barometer of American and international opinion. The Gallup website provides access to many recent Gallup studies. Although a subscription is needed to access the entire site, many articles about recent Gallup Poll results can be accessed free of charge. To find poll results, go to the Gallup home page (http:// www.gallup.com/). The poll results are presented using a variety of statistical summaries and graphics that we have learned about in this chapter.

a. Go to the Gallup Organization website and access several of the articles presenting recent poll results. Find and print examples of some of the statistical summaries and graphics that we studied in this chapter. Then write a summary describing which statistical methods and graphics seem to be used most frequently by Gallup when presenting poll results.

b. Read the results of a Gallup poll that you find to be of particular interest and summarize (in your own words) its most important conclusions. Cite the statistical evidence in the article that you believe most clearly backs up each conclusion.

c. By searching the web, or by searching other sources (such as newspapers and magazines), find an example of a misleading statistical summary or graphic. Print or copy the misleading example and write a paragraph describing why you think the summary or graphic is misleading.