Research Biases

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com

The importance of accounting for selection biases is vital while setting out prediction polls, as well as in all other aspects of research and research planning.

The above article by Nate Silver, a statistician who correctly predicted the United States' 2012 presidential winner of each state and the District of Columbia, discusses how polls that are conducted within the presidential campaigns are much more prone to biases than external polls performed by the public. In addition, it is more likely that a campaign will reveal their findings to the public if these results are favorable towards their candidate. This way they are able to sway public opinion more effectively.