1. Was an online survey the best medium for a poll on this subject? What were some pros and cons of conducting this poll online?

2. How might the results have differed if this poll had been conducted by telephone?

3. As a researcher, how would you address people’s doubts about whether pollsters may contact households listed on the Do Not Call Registry?

Citizens’ annoyance with phone calls from salespeople prompted Congress to pass a law setting up a National Do Not Call Registry. The registry was soon flooded with requests to have phone numbers removed from telemarketers’ lists. By law, salespeople may not call numbers listed on this registry. The law makes exceptions for charities and researchers. However, a recent poll suggests that even though phone calls from researchers may be legal, they are not always well received.