With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
A Reader Asks: How Can A Survey Of Just 2K People Represent All Of LA?
()
A recent LAist supporter (thank you, thank you) sent in this query after reading a story we published over the weekend about a Loyola Maramount University survey that found the overwhelming majority of people in L.A. County support the stay-at-home orders, despite many paying a financial price.
He asked:
"I have a question. Why is LAist writing an article citing a study where a mere 0.02% of Los Angeles county was polled and telling us that opinion represents Los Angeles? I mean come on! I just started contributing to your organization and now THIS is what you are putting out?"
Again, sincere thanks for supporting us -- like other businesses, many newsrooms have been hard hit by what's going on in the economy. That means our members are more important than ever in keeping us on our mission of fact-based, local news.
Support for LAist comes from
One thing that sets us apart is our committment to answering your questions. Our very hard-working engagement team has answered more than 900 people directly since this pandemic got underway -- everything from directing people to a food bank near them to creating a playbook for other newsrooms to use for handling a high volume of questions.
But back to the question at hand. We turned to Brianne Gilbert, associate director for the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at LMU, to get the answer:
Conducting a survey using a sample is a great way to understand what's going on in a larger group.
Although you're correct that we aren't capturing what every person thinks, we are capturing enough data to be statistically relevant. Think of it this way, when you're making soup, you taste a spoonful to see what it tastes like. You don't need to try every single drop to trust what the soup tastes like in general. You may not get every single flavor in that one spoonful, but you have a general sense, certainly enough to know if your guests (once we are allowed to get together again, of course), will like it.
As another example, if you have to go to the hospital, I bet you're glad the nurse can take a sample of your blood and test that, instead of all of it! Although samples are not perfect, if done correctly, they provide a great way to understand something about a larger group by collecting information on a smaller portion.
Likewise with a survey, it's not feasible for us to talk to all nearly eight million adults in the county, but we can talk to a "spoonful" from the LA County pot and find out the flavor.
There are a lot of best practices when it comes to surveys and polls. For example: It's critical to create a sample that's representative of the area you are assessing. The StudyLA team Gilbert helps to lead is known for their years of work surveying the attitudes of people who live in our region. They publish a highly regarded opinion poll every year called the Los Angeles Public Opinion Survey.
Here's a closer look at their methodology for this COVID-19 survey. (And you can click through to read all the questions and methods in the 179-page report they released this weekend.)
READ OUR STORY ON THE REPORT
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce.
Best of LAist