Two years ago, Michael Cobb, associate professor in political science, public and international affairs, started Pack Poll, a survey mostly for students. The project is supported by Dean Jeffrey Braden of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“My idea was trying to teach undergrads how to do survey research from start to finish. So, the crafting of questions, how surveys take place, how you sample… I can keep track of this at least once a semester indefinitely so that we can create time series data and see what people thought 10 years ago compared to today,” Cobb said.

His current standard is to offer one big poll every semester with recurring questions in order to analyze trends in undergraduate thinking and opinions. Depending on the students helping with the project and the important topics at the time, unique and specific questions may also be asked.

Currently, Cobb has four students working on the project. However, he is hoping to expand it and has a few ideas for the future of Pack Poll.

“Going forward, I want to be able to start doing more polls. A series of smaller ones… in addition to the big ones, so that we’re constantly on top of breaking news that people are talking about to be able to poll students and see what they think about that as well as the bigger, meatier poll,” Cobb said.

Cobb has also created the website, PackPoll.com .

“[We’d like to] develop software on the Pack Poll website in which students can do cross-tabs with the data on our website,” Cobb said.

For now, the Pack Poll data is posted and openly available for anyone who wishes to use it.

Anna-Marie Massoglia , senior in psychology and political science, is one of the students involved with Pack Poll and sees the potential for using this data.

“I think that the Pack Poll can benefit the school by getting students to think about issues that impact them, the school and the surrounding community. The Pack Poll allows students to voice their own opinions and learn more about what other N.C . State students think,” Massoglia said.

Blake Mizelle , sophomore in political science and website manager for Pack Poll, thinks the surveys are a good way for more students to get their voices heard.

“Personally, I think it is good for there to be public data about the students on record. For example, this semester we tracked an increase in student pride, and we think it is tied to the performance of our basketball team,” Mizelle said. “Knowing more about how the students feel can be good for the University in order to to meet the needs of students who sometimes may feel like their voice is not heard.”

However, Cobb does not just use Pack Poll for gathering data. The students gets hands-on experience with polling practices.

“The idea is for students to learn the craft, but the craft is both art and science, and it’s not always easy for everyone to do… I’m also trying to explain how sometimes question-wording is bad and how response options aren’t perfect, and so we tinker with things as learning experiences to do it better,” Cobb said.

Last year, the students also got to travel to Washington D.C . to meet with professionals in the survey and polling industry.

Cobb says he is still looking to build on the students working with Pack Poll. While it is focused on students in the political science department, he will consider anyone with a statistical background who is interested in the project.

“The ideal model is they take a class in the fall with me, in which they’re enrolled in public opinion and media, and then in the spring, I provide them with independent study credits,” Cobb said. “Next year, it will probably be a lot of independent study credits, one-on-one, and group meetings.”

Pack Poll data and updates can be found at PackPoll.com .