But some differences can occur based on the type of likely voter model that different pollsters employ. We are talking to Democratic pollster Mark Mellman. For example, the Gallup poll has shown such wild fluctuations in part because every night based on answers to a series of questions Gallup decides who's likely to vote and who's not likely to vote. Submit your questions now. And who Gallup judges to be the likely voters changes much more than who people are voting for.
Focus groups are small group discussions that are moderated and led by professional facilitators.
Where oftentimes other researchers are observing through a one-way mirror. We're really looking for people to talk about their views, opinions, attitudes in their own words and in their own framework instead of the more simplistic answers you get on a poll questionaire. Absolutely, there is a science to polling that importantly involves the way questions are worded. There is a lot of experimentation that is done, rigorous experimentation. Some questions have evolved, others haven't.