Since the early 2000s, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) has become a widely popular method of conducting public opinion surveys in the United States. IVR surveys use an automated computer voice to ask survey questions and elicit responses in place of a live interviewer. Previous studies have shown that IVR polls conducted immediately before elections are generally accurate, but have raised questions as to their validity in other contexts. This study examines whether IVR polls generate measurably different levels of candidate support when compared to live interviewer polls, as a result of non-response bias owing to lower response rates in IVR surveys. It did so by comparing polling in 2010 U.S. gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections that was conducted using both live interviewers and IVR. The findings suggest that in general elections, IVR polls find fewer undecided voters compared to surveys conducted using live interviewers. In primary elections, IVR polls can show larger support than live interview polls for a more ideologically extreme candidate who has high levels of support among more opinionated and engaged voters. Implications are that journalists and other consumers of polling data should take into account whether a poll was conducted using IVR or live interviewers when interpreting results. IVR polls may tend to over-sample more engaged and opinionated voters, often resulting in smaller percentages of undecided respondents, and higher levels of support for specific candidates in certain contexts. / Master of Arts

The idea of wireless distributed computing (WDC) is rapidly gaining recognition owing to its promising potential in military, public safety and commercial applications. This concept basically entails distributing a computationally intensive task that one radio device is assigned, among its neighboring peer radio devices. The added processing power of multiple radios can be harnessed to significantly reduce the time consumed in obtaining the results of the original complex task. Since the idea of wireless distributed computing depends on a radio device forming a network with its peers, it is imperative and necessary to have a medium access control (MAC) protocol for such networks which is capable of scheduling channel access by multiple radios in the network, ensuring reliable data transfer, incorporating rate adaptation as well as handling link failures. The thesis presented here elaborates the design and implementation of such a MAC protocol for WDC employed in a practical network of radio devices configurable through software. It also brings to light the design and implementation constraints and challenges faced in this endeavor and puts forward viable solutions. / Master of Science

With the growth of the internet, data from text sources has become increasingly available to researchers in the form of online newspapers, journals, and blogs. This data presents a unique opportunity to analyze human opinions and behaviors without soliciting the public explicitly. In this research, I utilize newspaper articles and the social media service Twitter to infer self-reported public opinions and awareness of climate change. Climate change is one of the most important and heavily debated issues of our time, and analyzing large-scale text surrounding this issue reveals insights surrounding self-reported public opinion. First, I inquire about public discourse on both climate change and energy system vulnerability following two large hurricanes. I apply topic modeling techniques to a corpus of articles about each hurricane in order to determine how these topics were reported on in the post event news media. Next, I perform sentiment analysis on a large collection of data from Twitter using a previously developed tool called the "hedonometer". I use this sentiment scoring technique to investigate how the Twitter community reports feeling about climate change. Finally, I generalize the sentiment analysis technique to many other topics of global importance, and compare to more traditional public opinion polling methods. I determine that since traditional public opinion polls have limited reach and high associated costs, text data from Twitter may be the future of public opinion polling.

Feeds werden unter anderem eingesetzt, um Nutzer in einem einheitlichen Format und in aggregierter Form über Aktualisierungen oder neue Beiträge auf Webseiten zu informieren. Da bei Feeds in der Regel keine Benachrichtigungsfunktionalitäten angeboten werden, müssen Interessenten Feeds regelmäßig auf Aktualisierungen überprüfen. Die Betrachtung entsprechender Techniken bildet den Kern der Arbeit. Die in den verwandten Domänen Web Crawling und Web Caching eingesetzten Algorithmen zur Vorhersage der Zeitpunkte von Aktualisierungen werden aufgearbeitet und an die spezifischen Anforderungen der Domäne Feeds angepasst. Anschließend wird ein selbst entwickelter Algorithmus vorgestellt, der bereits ohne den Einsatz spezieller Konfigurationsparameter und ohne Trainingsphase im Durchschnitt bessere Vorhersagen trifft, als die übrigen betrachteten Algorithmen. Auf Basis der Analyse verschiedener Metriken zur Beurteilung der Qualität von Vorhersagen erfolgt die Definition eines zusammenfassenden Gütemaßes, welches den Vergleich von Algorithmen anhand eines einzigen Wertes ermöglicht. Darüber hinaus werden abfragespezifische Attribute der Feed-Formate untersucht und es wird empirisch gezeigt, dass die auf der partiellen Historie der Feeds basierende Vorhersage von Änderungen bereits bessere Ergebnisse erzielt, als die Einbeziehung der von den Diensteanbietern bereitgestellten Werte in die Berechnung ermöglicht. Die empirischen Evaluationen erfolgen anhand eines breitgefächerten, realen Feed-Datensatzes, welcher der wissenschaftlichen Gemeinschaft frei zur Verfügung gestellt wird, um den Vergleich mit neuen Algorithmen zu erleichtern.

Contenders disputing electoral results in Sub-Saharan African countries often attribute defects in presidential electoral processes to the implementation of rules and procedures. Yet despite the considerable decision-making authority poll workers are entrusted with and the significance of the tasks performed by therm, scholars have not closely investigated poll workers'contributions to elections' management in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using principal-agent theory as the foundation, the purpose of this case study was to examine the challenges encountered in the organization of the presidential election in Togo, held on April 25, 2015, with a particular emphasis on poll workers' job performance. Research questions focused on whether poll workers in Togo have the ability and the resources necessary to carry out quality elections and the perceived effects of poll workers' performance on the integrity of the presidential electoral process. Data were obtained from interviews with 11 purposely selected poll workers and review of social media audio and video records of the election. These data were inductively coded and subjected to thematic analysis. A key finding was that deficiencies in poll workers' performance reflect a complex interplay of ill-conceived legal framework, lack of infrastructure, poor training, personal ineptitude, underfunding, partisanship, and tribalism. Further findings indicated that poll workers performing poorly resulted in long lines of voters, voter suppression, inaccuracies in vote counts, and delay in results announcement. Implications for positive social change include election practitionners' increased awareness that improving the quality of service delivery to voters on election day may foster confidence in and legitimacy of election results, seen as prerequisite to peaceful presidential elections in this part of the world.

Mobile polling is a widely used classroom response system at the university level. The current study examines the predictors and outcomes of mobile polling including self-regulation and academic achievement. Furthermore, this study explores whether or not mobile polling benefits some students more than others, specifically those with higher levels of self-regulation. The data was collected from two separate University classrooms taught by the same teacher (n = 66). The first section of students were to use mobile polling software after taking their midterm exam and use the software for the remainder of the semester. The other section of students served as the control group and received the same instruction, Powerpoints, and assignments minus the usage of mobile polling. All students from both classes were given an 89 question survey known as the Barkley Deficits in Executive Function Scale (BDEFS) which measured their ability to self-regulate their behavior. A hierarchical regression model was used to find that mobile polling had no statistical significance on academic achievement at the end of the semester. The only significant predictor throughout the entire study was the initial achievement variable, which was the scores from the midterm exam. Another hierarchical regression model found that self-regulation, measured with the use of the BDEFS system, was not a significant predictor of academic achievement. When initial achievement was controlled for, the Overall EF score from the BDEFS system revealed that self-regulation had zero effect on the variance as denoted by R Square and the R Square change in the regression model. Supplemental analysis revealed that Overall EF is a significant predictor of academic achievement when a Repeated Measures ANOVA was used, though the R Square change was still low. Factor analysis was used to find which questions loaded together under five subscales, truncating the BDEFS system and revealing that Self-Restraint/Inhibition traits were a better predictor than the overall score from the BDEFS questionnaire yet was not a significant predictor of achievement. Finally, a 2 x 2 ANCOVA that investigated the interaction between high/low levels of Self-Regulation and usage of Mobile Polling and found that it did not significantly affect academic achievement. In fact, the highest mean came from the completely opposite group as expected, which was students in the control group with lower levels of self-regulation. / Educational Psychology

No description available.

<p>Denna rapport behandlar push-teknik, en teknik för att skicka data i realtid inom webbapplikationer.</p><p>Många gånger i dagens mer interaktiva webb kan ett behov finnas av att behandla data på ett alternativt sätt. På grund av detta kändes det valda ämnet relevant inom ramen för webbutveckling.</p><p>Syftet är att undersöka hur vida denna teknik skiljer sig mot andra tekniker för att transportera data. För att kunna undersöka push-tekniken har en applikation skapats med hjälp av ett ramverk för detta ändamål. Som ramverk för arbetet valdes APE som innehåller en komplett lösning för push-teknik på webben.</p><p>Som underlag för rapporten utvecklades en spelapplikation samt en utvärdering av ramverket APE och ett antal prestandatester gjordes.</p> / <p>This study deals with push technology, a technology to send real-time data within web applications.</p><p>Many times in today's more inter-active web an alternative way of processing data may be needed. Because of this, the topic seemed relevant in the context of web development.</p><p>The aim is to examine how far this technique contrasts with other techniques to transport data. To investigate the push technology an application was created using a framework for this purpose. As a framework for the exercise the APE framework, containing a complete solution for push technology on the web, was chosen.</p><p>As a basis for the report a gaming application was developed and a number of performance tests as well as an evaluation of the framework APE were made.</p>

[français] L’objectif de cette recherche est d’analyser l’organisation interne d’une firme de sondage sous l’angle des sphères du milieu de travail telles qu’identifiées par Bélanger, Giles et Murray (2004), soient : la gestion de la production, l’organisation du travail et la relation à l’emploi. Plus spécifiquement, nous chercherons à savoir comment se comporte la firme enquêtée face à la gestion de la flexibilité organisationnelle et quel est l’impact de celle-ci sur les trois sphères du travail. L’analyse utilise la méthodologie de l’étude de cas et fait appel à divers types de matériaux : des observations ponctuelles, des entrevues informelles et les bases de données administratives ainsi que les rapports d’évaluation des entrevues téléphoniques effectuées par les intervieweurs. De même, l’analyse des résultats utilise à la fois des méthodes plus classiques telles que les corrélations ainsi que des représentations graphiques et des analyses qualitatives. L’analyse permet de repérer une logique de fonctionnement à l’œuvre dans les différentes sphères de l’emploi : l’importante standardisation des processus de travail (dans le champ de la gestion de la production), la réduction des marges de manœuvre (dans le champ de l’organisation du travail) et la non reconnaissance de l’expertise des intervieweurs (dans le champ de la relation à l’emploi). Les contradictions repérées dans l’analyse, entre les sphères de l’emploi et les objectifs de flexibilité, montrent que les structures mises en place bloquent, dans une certaine mesure, la capacité d’initiative et d’adaptation que la flexibilité exige. La recherche a montré que ce qu’on demande aux intervieweurs est à la fois le reflet des exigences de la flexibilité, tel que constaté dans ce mémoire, mais aussi, des exigences sociales face à la méthodologie de sondage. Tout porte à déduire que celles-ci peuvent engendrer un plafonnement de la performance des employés. Mots-clés : centres d’appels, intervieweurs, firmes de sondage, flexibilité organisationnelle, gestion de la production, organisation du travail, relation à l’emploi, travail émotionnel. / [english] The objective of this study is to analyze the internal organization of a polling firm from the perspective of workplace spheres, as identified by Bélanger, Giles and Murray (2004): production management, work organization and employment relations. More specifically, we sought to discover how the studied firm behaved in terms of managing organizational flexibility and its impact on the three aforementioned spheres. The analysis uses case-study methodology and calls upon various types of material: point source observations, informal interviews, as well as administrative databases and assessment reports of telephone interviews carried out by interviewers. In addition, the analysis employs both classical methods such as correlations, as well as graphical representations and qualitative analyses. The analysis traces an operational logic from the point of view of the different spheres: the significant standardization of the work process (in the sphere of production management), the reduction of flexibility (in the sphere of work organization), and the non-recognition of interviewer expertise (in the sphere of employment relations). The contradictions revealed by the analysis between the spheres of work and the goals of flexibility demonstrate that the structures currently in place block, to a certain extent, the capacities for initiative and adaptation required by flexibility. The research demonstrates that what is asked of interviewers is both a reflection of the requirements of flexibility, as seen in this thesis, but also of social requirements related to survey methodology. All of which points to the conclusion that these requirements can lead to a leveling off of employee performance. Key words: call centers, interviewers, polling firms, organizational flexibility, production management, work organization, work relations, emotional labor. / CRSH

本論文旨在探討民國八十三年省市長選舉期間新聞媒介對民意測驗結果 之報導。本論文主要採取內容分析法，研究對象為民國83年 8月 4日至12 月 3日間，曾報導民意測驗之報社，包括中國時報、 中時晚報、聯合報 、聯合晚報、民生報、自立早報、自立晚報、自由時報、中央日報、中華 日報、青年日報、臺灣日報、臺灣新生報、臺灣新聞報、大成報、大明報 、民眾日報、臺灣時報以及臺灣立報等十九家報社。研究觀察的項目包括 民意測驗新聞報導上議題、報導立場、新聞呈現方式與報導方式之差異。 此外，亦比較不同報社與測驗執行機構等因素對上述觀察結果的影響。根 據分析結果，在民國83年省市長選舉期間，本研究所蒐集的樣本中，中時 與聯合兩報系的報導即佔總樣本數的三分之一；在測驗執行機構方面，以 由政黨所執行的測驗居多，佔總則數的四成五，其中，更以由國民黨所執 行的測驗佔最多數；而所有的報導大致是以1000字左右的篇幅呈現。在議 題方面，無論是新聞標題或是新聞報導，均是以「賽馬式報導」議題類為 主。在報導立場上，官方報系（包括中央日報、中華日報、青年日報、臺 灣新生報、臺灣新聞報）的報導立場多傾向國民黨，對國民黨或其候選人 有較多的正面評價；而其他的報社則多數趨於中立的報導立場。在報導結 果呈現方式方面，多數的報導中均述及「描述、反應數據」與呈現「由調 查機構或學者專家對調查結果作分析、解釋或評論」。在報導方式中，有 八成以上的新聞報導中會列出「測驗執行機構」，並以「百分比」的方式 呈現統計結果；然而除了以上兩項以外，其他相關的測驗相關背景資料均 被忽略，僅有在不及半數的新聞報導中被提及，其中尤以列出「問卷問題 」的比例最低，僅有3.1%。整體而言，中時與聯合兩報系的民意測驗新聞 ，其結果呈現方式較其他報社多樣化，而在報導方式上，所提供的相關資 訊亦較其他報社為多；而報社報導本身所執行之測驗結果時，亦較符合 AAPOR 所提出對精確新聞報導之要求。