In this class students will work to gain proficiency with the rhetoric of public opinion polling commonly encountered in the media but rarely understood by the common viewer. This course concentrates on contemporary concepts of public opinion, theories about public opinion formation, and ways of measuring public opinion, with special reference to political topics and issues. We will answer the questions: What is public opinion? And what moves public opinion? At the end of the course, students will further develop two essential skills:

• Critical reading skills through engaging with a variety of scholarly work and evaluating the main arguments, evidence, and assumptions of authors.
• Critical writing skills through writing-intensive course work, including weekly discussion boards, quizzes, and take-home exams that engage with the readings, screenings, and class discussions.