OPINION QUALITY IN PUBLIC-OPINION RESEARCH

In recent years, a number of new techniques have been developed-includ ing deliberative polls and educational surveys-that attempt to gather measures of public opinion that is of higher quality (i.e. better info rmed or more deliberative) than that recorded in typical mass opinion surveys. This paper addresses several general sets of questions. What is meant by 'quality' in public opinion? What criteria can be enumerat ed by which the quality of public opinion can be assessed? In grapplin g with these questions, the paper argues that conceptions of quality i n public opinion are inextricably bound to broader conceptions of qual ity in democratic decision making, a complex process involving multipl e phases and collective participants. In addition, a number of importa nt contradictions and ambiguities underlie conceptions of quality in p ublic opinion.