The 104th Congress, the first in four decades to be Republican-controlled, may prove to have ushered in an era of party dominance by congressional Republicans, or to be a transitory aberration. Either way, the 104th is a watershed in congressional history. Using the theatre metaphor to characterize the actions of Congress and to help make the institution more understandable, Congressional life and behaviour is dissected and placed in the broader context of changes in Congress in the 1990s. The contributors evaluate the way members of Congress play to the media and the larger audience, the electorate; analyze leadership roles in a cast of 535 'leading players'; evaluate the committee systems as 'little theatre'; and analyze relations among the various branches of government. Herbert Weisberg and Samuel Patterson conclude the presentation by reminding us that in Congress, 'the play's the thing'.

Models of Voting in Presidential Elections offers a comprehensive scholarly examination of the determinants of voter participation and vote choice at play in the 2000 presidential election. Unlike other books that focus exclusively on the drama and unusual circumstances of the 2000 election, this account examines larger issues surrounding the election and its outcome, asking why an election that traditional forecasting models predicted would provide a strong and clear victory for one side was ultimately so close. Using a variety of models, the authors explore why the election was so close, what happened to the landslide that economic forecast models had predicted, and whether our traditional theories and approaches require reevaluation in light of the outcome. This book analyzes a variety of matters fundamental to the 2000 election, including the influence of Bill Clinton, his dual legacy, and the economy. The authors detail changing voter coalitions and the influence of a gender gap. They also describe the role of divided government, how voter turnout affects election outcomes, the impact of minor-party candidates, and, more generally, the relative importance of partisanship, candidates, and issues.

The 104th Congress, the first in four decades to be Republican-controlled, may prove to have ushered in an era of party dominance by congressional Republicans, or to be a transitory aberration. Either way, the 104th is a watershed in congressional history. Using the theatre metaphor to characterize the actions of Congress and to help make the institution more understandable, Congressional life and behaviour is dissected and placed in the broader context of changes in Congress in the 1990s. The contributors evaluate the way members of Congress play to the media and the larger audience, the electorate; analyze leadership roles in a cast of 535 'leading players'; evaluate the committee systems as 'little theatre'; and analyze relations among the various branches of government. Herbert Weisberg and Samuel Patterson conclude the presentation by reminding us that in Congress, 'the play's the thing'.

"The writing style is mature and experienced. There is noticeable care in the presentation of materials and appropriate sensitivity to the intended audience. . . . The book categorizes large bodies of wisdom in the conduct of survey research over the past half century and provides ''rules-of-thumb'' guidance to the production, analysis, and consumption of survey data." --Steve Seitz, University of Illinois "The authors have provided a well-written update of their textbook, which will be useful as a textbook or supplement in upper-division undergraduate or introductory graduate courses on survey research, statistical data analysis, or research design. The book provides readers with the knowledge that enables them to evaluate the results of survey research. It sensitizes the readers to potential problems that arise from flaws in research design, sampling, questionnaire construction, data collection, coding, data analysis techniques, and improper presentation or interpretation of findings." --Mike Margolis, University of Cincinnati Why should we believe the results of surveys based on relatively few interviews? What are the appropriate cautions in interpreting survey reports? Aimed at answering these questions, An Introduction to Survey Research, Polling, and Data Analysis, Third Edition describes how surveys are conducted in such a way that they can be believed, explains how to read statistical reports and analyze data, and provides guidelines that are useful in evaluating polls. Using frequent examples from contemporary, large national surveys and polls as well as from the media, the authors stress understanding tables thoroughly before moving to interval statistics. In addition, they cover survey design, sampling and question-writing steps, interviewing and coding strategies, and survey analysis from frequency distributions and cross-tabulations to control tables and correlation/regression. They also cover the ethics of survey research and how to read and write survey research reports. Readers of this book will learn to distinguish good from bad polls and to better design and conduct their own surveys and polls.

In 1939, George Gallup's American Institute of Public Opinion published a pamphlet optimistically titled "The New Science of Public Opinion Measurement". At the time, though, survey research was in its infancy, and only now, six decades later, can public opinion measurement be appropriately called a science, based in part on the development of the total survey error approach. Herbert F. Weisberg's handbook presents a unified method for conducting good survey research centered on the various types of errors that can occur in surveys - from measurement and nonresponse error to coverage and sampling error. Each chapter is built on theoretical elements drawn from specific disciplines, such as social psychology and statistics, and follows through with detailed treatments of the specific types of errors and their potential solutions. Throughout, Weisberg is attentive to survey constraints, including time and ethical considerations, as well as controversies within the field and the effects of new technology on the survey process - from Internet surveys to those completed by phone, by mail, and in person. Practitioners and students will find this comprehensive guide particularly useful now that survey research has assumed a primary place in both public and academic circles.

Models of Voting in Presidential Elections offers a comprehensive scholarly examination of the determinants of voter participation and vote choice at play in the 2000 presidential election. Unlike other books that focus exclusively on the drama and unusual circumstances of the 2000 election, this account examines larger issues surrounding the election and its outcome, asking why an election that traditional forecasting models predicted would provide a strong and clear victory for one side was ultimately so close. Using a variety of models, the authors explore why the election was so close, what happened to the landslide that economic forecast models had predicted, and whether our traditional theories and approaches require reevaluation in light of the outcome. This book analyzes a variety of matters fundamental to the 2000 election, including the influence of Bill Clinton, his dual legacy, and the economy. The authors detail changing voter coalitions and the influence of a gender gap. They also describe the role of divided government, how voter turnout affects election outcomes, the impact of minor-party candidates, and, more generally, the relative importance of partisanship, candidates, and issues.

Despite all that scholars have learned about voting behavior, significant questions persist. Controversies in Voting Behavior brings together the best scholarship and organizes it around five important debates that drive research in the field. This new edition features fifteen new selections, with many of these containing new or updated evidence added by the authors just for this volume. Section introductions establish useful context while guiding readers through conflicting interpretations that emerge across the chapters and in the academic literature.

"The writing style is mature and experienced. There is noticeable care in the presentation of materials and appropriate sensitivity to the intended audience. . . . The book categorizes large bodies of wisdom in the conduct of survey research over the past half century and provides ''rules-of-thumb'' guidance to the production, analysis, and consumption of survey data."

--Steve Seitz, University of Illinois

"The authors have provided a well-written update of their textbook, which will be useful as a textbook or supplement in upper-division undergraduate or introductory graduate courses on survey research, statistical data analysis, or research design. The book provides readers with the knowledge that enables them to evaluate the results of survey research. It sensitizes the readers to potential problems that arise from flaws in research design, sampling, questionnaire construction, data collection, coding, data analysis techniques, and improper presentation or interpretation of findings."

--Mike Margolis, University of Cincinnati

Why should we believe the results of surveys based on relatively few interviews? What are the appropriate cautions in interpreting survey reports? Aimed at answering these questions, An Introduction to Survey Research, Polling, and Data Analysis, Third Edition describes how surveys are conducted in such a way that they can be believed, explains how to read statistical reports and analyze data, and provides guidelines that are useful in evaluating polls. Using frequent examples from contemporary, large national surveys and polls as well as from the media, the authors stress understanding tables thoroughly before moving to interval statistics. In addition, they cover survey design, sampling and question-writing steps, interviewing and coding strategies, and survey analysis from frequency distributions and cross-tabulations to control tables and correlation/regression. They also cover the ethics of survey research and how to read and write survey research reports. Readers of this book will learn to distinguish good from bad polls and to better design and conduct their own surveys and polls.

Using a clear, expository style that builds from simple to more complex topics, Weisberg explains how to measure the center and variation on a single variable. Beginning with an exploration of how to measure variables with different numeric or nonnumeric properties, the volume covers such important topics as how to examine distribution of variables, how to measure the spread of a variable in order to see how much the values on the variable differ, how to generalize the sample results to the population, and the use of exploratory data analysis to measure center and spread. Researchers, practitioners, and students who need a "refresher" before doing a bivariate or multivariate analysis will find this book the perfect guide.

Now back in print, this reader brings together the best work in the study of American voting behavior. It's contents, from the 1950s-mid 1980s, include election turnout, political sophistication, vote determinants, congressional and state elections, party identification, and historical perspectives.