Guidance

'Surveys' by other organisations

Other organisations often claim they have conducted a survey – or a poll – when what they actually have is a self-selecting questionnaire of some sort.  The results may be interesting and newsworthy, but we should not necessarily accept claims about how representative they are at the face value of a press release; we should not report them in a way which leads our audience to believe they are more robust than they are.  If they are of no statistical value and appear to have been promoted only to generate attention for a particular cause or publication, we should exercise real scepticism and consider not using them at all, especially when they are concerned with serious or controversial issues.

If we report “polls” and “surveys” commissioned by other organisations, either knowing their methodology is less rigorous, or unsure of its robustness, we should make that clear to the audience in the language we use to describe it, for instance, by sourcing claims and interpretations.  This is particularly important in news bulletins and programmes – and for controversial subjects including politics and public policy*.

If the research has been commissioned by an organisation which has a partial interest in the subject matter, we should show extra caution, even when the methodology and the company carrying it out are familiar.  The audience must be told when research has been commissioned by an interested party.

We should not use language which allows the audience to assume the BBC has accepted that methodology is robust, unless it has been tested to our own standard.  However, we should normally use the language of detachment, rather than doubt.

When reporting surveys – and opinion polls – we should remember that even with comparatively robust methodology, they can be wrong:  if the results seem odd or surprising, appear to defy common sense, other evidence, or even “gut instinct” – do not ignore those doubts.  For instance: double-check the timing, the framing of the questions, the spread of locations, ages, social background or any other relevant variables.  Factor in the element of surprise, or possible explanations, to the way the survey is reported.

Beware, however, of commissioning surveys or opinion polls and then not using the results because they do not match expectations or fit a particular programme narrative.  Especially in controversial areas, in politics or public policy*, such an action could be seen by others as “covering up” results which do not seem to match a perceived “BBC view.”