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'.

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 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.

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'.

Today we are politically polarized as never before. The presidential elections of 2000 and 2004 will be remembered as two of the most contentious political events in American history. Yet despite the recent election upheaval, "The American Voter Revisited" discovers that voter behavior has been remarkably consistent over the last half century. And if the authors are correct in their predictions, 2008 will show just how reliably the American voter weighs in, election after election.

"The American Voter Revisited" re-creates the outstanding 1960 classic "The American Voter"---which was based on the presidential elections of 1952 and 1956---following the same format, theory, and mode of analysis as the original. In this new volume, the authors test the ideas and methods of the original against presidential election surveys from 2000 and 2004. Surprisingly, the contemporary American voter is found to behave politically much like voters of the 1950s.

"Simply essential. For generations, serious students of American politics have kept "The American Voter" right on their desk. Now, everyone will keep "The American Voter Revisited" right next to it."
---Larry J. Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and author of A More Perfect Constitution

""The American Voter Revisited" is destined to be the definitive volume on American electoral behavior for decades. It is a timely book for 2008, with in-depth analyses of the 2000 and 2004 elections updating and extending the findings of the original "The American Voter," It is also quite accessible, making it ideal for graduate students as well as advanced undergrads."
---Andrew E. Smith, Director of theUniversity of New Hampshire Survey Center

"A theoretically faithful, empirically innovative, comprehensive update of the original classic."
---Sam Popkin, Professor of Political Science, University of California, San Diego

Michael S. Lewis-Beck is F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa. William G. Jacoby is Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. Helmut Norpoth is Professor of Political Science at Stony Brook University. Herbert F. Weisberg is Professor of Political Science at Ohio State University.

"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.

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.

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.