Robert
Wyatt, Ph.D., Director of Communication Research, (615) 477-8389
rwyatt@mtsu.edu
Jason
Reineke, Ph.D.,
Associate Director of the MTSU Poll, (615) 494-7746
jreineke@mtsu.edu
Marjorie Maddox Newman,
Publicity (615) 242-8846
margie@hallstrategies.com
All Questions and Coding for Spring 2009 MTSU Poll
Question HELLO1 ____________________________________________________________________________________| || TURN THE PHONE ON AND DIAL "9," THEN "1," THEN THE NUMBER IN THE UPPER || LEFT CORNER OF THE SCREEN. REMEMBER: ALL CALLS ARE LOGGED AND CHECKED! || || IF YOU SEE ### AT THE START OF THE NUMBER, THE NUMBER IS A LOCAL CALL, || AND THERE IS NO NEED TO DIAL AN AREA CODE. JUST DIAL "9," THEN THE || SEVEN-DIGIT NUMBER. || || [IF A PERSON ANSWERS, QUICKLY PRESS 1] || || [OTHERWISE, HANG UP, THEN PRESS 2] || || || Hello, this is _____, a college student calling from Middle Tennessee State || University. We recently started an interview with ______. I'd like to resume || the interview if this is a good time. [HIT 1 TO RESUME, CTRL-END TO STOP] || || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (HELLO1 = 2) SKIPTO BYENOW2 Question HELLO2 ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Hello, this is __, a student calling from Middle Tennessee || State University. We're conducting a statewide survey on || several important issues ... || || ... To keep things random, may I please speak with the || *youngest male* age 18 or older who is at home right now? || || [WHO, IF ANYONE, FITS THE DESCRIPTION?] || || 1 Person you're talking to || 2 Someone else there [ASK: "May I please speak with him?"] || 3 Nobody there fits the description || || [IF THE CONVERSATION ENDS HERE, press and hold the "Ctrl" || key, then press "End" to exit the questionnaire.] || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (HELLO2 = 1) SKIPTO PERMISSNIF (HELLO2 = 2) SKIPTO YUNGMALEIF (HELLO2 = 3) SKIPTO HELLO3 Question HELLO3 ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || In that case, may I please speak with the *oldest female* age || 18 or older who is at home right now? || || [WHO FITS THE DESCRIPTION?] || || 1 Person you're talking to || 2 Someone else there [ASK: "May I please speak with her?"] || || [IF THE CONVERSATION ENDS HERE, press and hold the "Ctrl" || key, then press "End" to exit the questionnaire.] || || [YOU ALSO MAY USE 'ESC" TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION] || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (HELLO3 = 1) SKIPTO PERMISSNIF (HELLO3 = 2) SKIPTO OLDFEMAL Question YUNGMALE ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Hello, this is __, a student calling from Middle Tennessee || State University. We're conducting a statewide survey on || several important issues. || || To keep things random, I'd like to speak to the youngest || male age 18 or older who is at home right now. Is that you, || or is that someone else? || || 1 Yes, person matches description || 2 No, someone else ==> [ASK: "May I speak to him, please?" || AND REASK THE QUESTION] || || [IF THE CONVERSATION ENDS HERE, press and hold the "Ctrl" || key, then press "End" to exit the questionnaire.] || || [YOU ALSO MAY USE 'ESC" TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION] || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (YUNGMALE = 1) SKIPTO PERMISSN Question OLDFEMAL ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Hello, this is __, a student calling from Middle Tennessee || State University. We're conducting a statewide survey on || several important issues. || || To keep things random, I'd like to speak to the *oldest || female* age 18 or older who is at home right now. Is that || you, or is that someone else? || || 1 Yes, person matches description || 2 No, someone else ==> [ASK: "May I speak to her, please?" || AND REASK THE QUESTION] || || [IF THE CONVERSATION ENDS HERE, press and hold the "Ctrl" || key, then press "End" to exit the questionnaire.] || || [YOU ALSO MAY USE 'ESC" TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION] || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (OLDFEMAL = 1) SKIPTO PERMISSN Question PERMISSN ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Thanks. It sounds like you're the one I'd like to talk to. || || If you'll let me interview you, we'll keep your answers || confidential. Of course, you don't have to answer any || question you don't want to, and you can stop at any time. || Also, if you don't have an opinion on an issue, just tell me || and we'll go to the next questions. May I begin? || || 1 YES (GO TO FIRST QUESTION) || 2 NO (STOP INTERVIEW) || 3 PERSON WANTS TO BE CALLED BACK LATER || 4 NOT A HOME PHONE (BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, PAY PHONE, ETC.) || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):QAL BYENOW2IF (PERMISSN = 2) SKIPTO BYENOW2IF (PERMISSN = 3) SKIPTO CALLBACKIF (PERMISSN = 4) SKIPTO BYENOW2IF (QXSPLIT = 1) SKIPTO MAINSTATIF (QXSPLIT = 2) SKIPTO MAINNAT Question BYENOW2 ____________________________________________________________________________________| || [PRESS ANY KEY TO END THE INTERVIEW, THEN CLICK ON THE || PHRASE THAT DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPENED. IF THE PERSON WANTS TO || BE CALLED BACK SOME OTHER TIME, CHOOSE 'PLEASE CALL BACK || LATER'] || || [IF YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO END THE INTERVIEW, PRESS "ESC" || TO BACK UP] || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):CTRLEND Question CALLBACK ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || [PRESS ANY KEY, CHOOSE "CALL BACK," THEN TRY TO GET THE || FIRST NAME OF THE PERSON WE NEED TO TALK TO AS WELL AS A || GOOD TIME TO CALL BACK] || || [IF YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO END THE INTERVIEW, PRESS "ESC" || TO BACK UP] || || || || || || || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):CTRLEND Question MAINSTAT ____________________________________________________________________________________| || First, tell me in your own words: What do you think is the || number one problem confronting the state of Tennessee at || this time? || || [CHOOSE ONE OF THE GENERAL CATEGORIES BELOW IF THE PERSON'S || ANSWER SEEMS TO FIT THERE. OTHERWISE, CHOOSE "OTHER," TYPE || IN A SUMMARY OF THE PERSON'S ANSWER, THEN CLICK "OK."] || || || || || 1 Health insurance/health services || 2 Education || 3 Economy || 4 Crime || 5 Taxes || 6 Government corruption || 7 Readiness for an emergency or natural disaster || 8 Government waste/inefficiency || 9 Other || x Don't know || r Refused || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (MAINSTAT = 9) SKIPTO OTHPROB1SKIPTO TENGOING Question OTHPROB1 ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || [TYPE A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE PERSON'S ANSWER] || || || || [THEN PRESS 'ENTER' TO CONTINUE] || || [IF NO ANSWER, TYPE 'NO ANSWER.'] || || || || || || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question TENGOING ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way || things are going in Tennessee at this time? || || || || || || || || || 1 Satisfied || 2 Dissatisfied || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question TENNECON ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How would you rate economic conditions in Tennessee today - || as excellent, good, only fair, or poor? || || || || || || || || || 1 Excellent || 2 Good || 3 Only fair || 4 Poor || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):SKIPTO APGOV Question MAINNAT ____________________________________________________________________________________| || First, tell me in your own words: What do you think is the || number one problem confronting the United States at this || time? || || [CHOOSE ONE OF THE GENERAL CATEGORIES BELOW IF THE PERSON'S || ANSWER SEEMS TO FIT THERE. OTHERWISE, CHOOSE "OTHER," TYPE || IN A SUMMARY OF THE PERSON'S ANSWER, THEN CLICK "OK."] || || || || || 1 War in Iraq and/or Afghanistan || 2 Economy/jobs || 3 Gas/heating oil crisis || 4 The president || 5 Terrorism || 6 Moral values/family values || 7 Poverty/homelessness || 8 Education || 9 Other: || x Don't know || r Refused || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (MAINNAT = 9) SKIPTO OTHPROB2SKIPTO NATGOING Question OTHPROB2 ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || [TYPE A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE PERSON'S ANSWER] || || || || [THEN PRESS 'ENTER' TO CONTINUE] || || [IF NO ANSWER, TYPE 'NO ANSWER.'] || || || || || || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question NATGOING ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way || things are going in the United States at this time? || || || || || || || || || 1 Satisfied || 2 Dissatisfied || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question NATECON ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How would you rate economic conditions in the United States || today - as excellent, good, only fair, or poor? || || || || || || || || || 1 Excellent || 2 Good || 3 Only fair || 4 Poor || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question APGOV ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Now, some quick questions about governmental leaders. || || Do you approve or disapprove of the way Phil || Bredesen [BREAD-uh-sen] is handling his job || as governor? || || || || || || 1 Approve || 2 Disapprove || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question APLEG ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Do you approve or disapprove of the job the Tennessee State || Legislature is doing? || || || || || || || || || 1 Approve || 2 Disapprove || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question LEGCNTRL ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Which party would you prefer to see in control of || Tennessee's Legislature, the Democratic Party or the || Republican Party - or aren't you sure? || || || || || || || || 1 Democrats || 2 Republicans || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question APPREZ ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is || handling his job as president? || || || || || || || || || 1 Approve || 2 Disapprove || x Don't know/not applicable || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question CONTRAN ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || I'm going to ask you how confident you are in some of the || Obama administration's abilities and characteristics. For || each one I mention, please tell me whether you are very || confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at || all confident. || || Here's the first one ... || || [PLEASE PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] || || || || || || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question BOECON ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How about ... the Obama administration's ability to improve || the economy? || || [IF NECESSARY, ADD: "How confident are you in the Obama || administration's ability to improve the economy? Very || confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at || all confident?"] || || || || 1 Very confident || 2 Somewhat confident || 3 Not too confident || 4 Not at all confident || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question BOFGOV ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How about ... the Obama administration's ability to manage || the federal government? || || [IF NECESSARY, ADD: "How confident are you in the Obama || administration's ability to manage the federal government? || Very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or || not at all confident?"] || || || || 1 Very confident || 2 Somewhat confident || 3 Not too confident || 4 Not at all confident || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question BOETHICS ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How about ... the Obama administration's ethical standards? || || [IF NECESSARY, ADD: "How confident are you in the Obama || administration's ethical standards? Very confident, somewhat || confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?"] || || || || || || 1 Very confident || 2 Somewhat confident || 3 Not too confident || 4 Not at all confident || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question BOFRNREL ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How about ... the Obama administration's ability to manage || American foreign policy? || || [IF NECESSARY, ADD: "How confident are you in the Obama || administration's ability to manage American foreign policy? || Very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or || not at all confident?"] || || || || 1 Very confident || 2 Somewhat confident || 3 Not too confident || 4 Not at all confident || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question OBAMCOOP ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || In your view, is Barack Obama doing enough to cooperate with || the Republicans in Congress, or not? || || || || || || || || || 1 Yes, doing enough || 2 No, not doing enough || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question REPCOOP ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || In your view, are the Republicans in Congress doing enough || to cooperate with Barack Obama, or not?" || || || || || || || || || 1 Yes, doing enough || 2 No, not doing enough || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question RECHURT ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Thinking now about the recession ... would you say this || recession has hurt you financially, or not? || || || || || || || || || 1 Yes || 2 No || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only):IF (RECHURT = 1) SKIPTO HOWHURTSKIPTO WORRYNAT Question HOWHURT ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Is that a great deal or only somewhat? || || [IF NECESSARY, ADD: "Would you say this recession has hurt || you financially a great deal or only somewhat?"] || || || || || || || 1 A great deal || 2 Only somewhat || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question WORRYNAT ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How do you feel about the direction of the nation's economy || over the next few years? Very worried, somewhat worried, not || too worried, or not worried at all? || || || || || || || || 1 Very worried || 2 Somewhat worried || 3 Not too worried || 4 Not worried at all || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question WORRYFAM ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How do you feel about your own family's financial situation? || Very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not || worried at all? || || || || || || || || 1 Very worried || 2 Somewhat worried || 3 Not too worried || 4 Not worried at all || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question IRQHOWGO ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Switching topics ... In general, how would you say things || are going for the U.S. in Iraq ... very well, moderately || well, moderately badly, or very badly? || || || || || || || || 1 Very well || 2 Moderately well || 3 Moderately badly || 4 Very badly || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question IRQMSTK ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || In view of the developments since we first sent our troops || to Iraq, do you think the United States made a mistake in || sending troops to Iraq, or not? || || || || || || || || 1 Yes, made a mistake || 2 No, did not make a mistake || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question OJKME ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || On another subject ... || || There are a number of jokes going around that refer to || Obama's race. In your view, would a joke referring to || Obama's race be definitely humorous, probably humorous, || probably not humorous, or definitely not humorous? || || || || || 1 Definitely humorous || 2 Probably humorous || 3 Probably not humorous || 4 Definitely not humorous || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question OJKOTH ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || How do you think most other people feel? Do most other || people think that a joke referring to Obama's race would be || definitely humorous, probably humorous, probably not || humorous, or definitely not humorous? || || || || || || || 1 Definitely humorous || 2 Probably humorous || 3 Probably not humorous || 4 Definitely not humorous || x Don't know || r Refused || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question JOKHEARD ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || On about how many occasions have you heard or read a joke || that referred to Obama's race? || || || || || || || || || TYPE RESPONDENTS ANSWER HERE: ___ THEN PRESS "ENTER" TO || CONTINUE. || || ENTER A ZERO FOR "None" and "999" FOR "DON'T KNOW" OR || "REFUSED." || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question JOKTELL ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || And on about how many occasions have you told someone a || joke that referred to Obama's race? || || || || || || || || || TYPE RESPONDENTS ANSWER HERE: ___ THEN PRESS "ENTER" TO || CONTINUE. || || ENTER A ZERO FOR "None" and "999" FOR "DON'T KNOW" OR || "REFUSED." || || || || || |____________________________________________________________________________________ Logic Instructions (flow only): Question SPTRANS ____________________________________________________________________________________| || || || || || Turning to some state-level issues ... || || We are faced with many problems in Tennessee, none of which || can be solved easily or inexpensively. I'm going to name || some of these problems, and for each one I'd like you to || tell me whether you think we're spending too much money on || it, too little money, or about the right amount. Here's the || first one ... || || [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] || || || || || || || || || &