Welcome to what promises to be a terrific new season for NYAAPOR. Much is in the works for our chapter in the months ahead, highlighted by an extraordinary lineup of programs and presentations from some of the great luminaries in our field and beyond, from Howard Schuman, Stanley Presser and Jon Krosnick to the political pollsters Mark Mellman, Whit Ayres and Ulises Beltran, leading qualitative researcher Judith Langer, and the Hon. Jorge Castañeda, Mexico's former secretary of foreign affairs and onetime presidential candidate.
Times, locations and fuller details will follow in subsequent notices, but for the moment, grab a stylus and mark your PDAs with these can't-miss dates:
-The evening of Sept. 14, join us for a spirited discussion of the still-disputed Mexican presidential election, featuring Jorge Castañeda, NYU professor of politics and Latin American studies; and prominent Mexican pollster Ulises Beltran.
-On Oct. 11 attend our daylong workshop by Prof. Jon Krosnick of Stanford University, returning to NYAAPOR to complete the final installment of the much sought-after seminar based on his forthcoming book, "The Handbook of Questionnaire Design." The session, based on the last third of the book, will cover question wording and order effects, attitude recall and self-assessment – all essential elements in any researcher's toolkit. A day later, Oct. 12, Krosnick will treat us to an evening presentation on new research comparing probability and opt-in internet samples: "Moving Survey Data Collection to the Internet? Surprising Ways that Mode, Sample Design and Response Rates Affect Survey Accuracy." No 21st Century researcher should miss it.
-Nov. 2 we'll have an invaluable daytime workshop on the whys and wherefores of focus groups, led by Judith Langer, senior vice president of GfK NOP Qualitative Research and author of "The Mirrored Window: Focus Groups From a Moderator's Point of View." A founder and first president of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association, Langer is storied for her presentation skills, based on more than three decades of experience in organizing, leading and reporting on focus groups.
-The evening of Nov. 9 we'll hear from Mark Mellman and Whit Ayres – two of the nation's most highly regarded political pollsters, representing opposite sides of the aisle. (Ayres has polled for leading Republicans including Majority Leader Bill Frist and Sens. Lamar Alexander and Lindsey Graham; Mellman’s clients include Sens. Maria Cantwell, Daniel Akaka and Harry Reid and Govs. Jon Corzine and Jennifer Granholm.) Aided by insight, experience and exit poll data, they'll help us pick apart the results of the Nov. 7 midterm elections and cast an eye toward the presidential election of 2008.
-We'll have a very special evening presentation Nov. 29, when Schuman and Presser will mark the 25th anniversary of the publication of their seminal work with a discussion of their journey of discovery: "Failed Glory & Other Reflections on the 25th Anniversary of 'Questions & Answers in Attitude Surveys.'" The next day, Nov. 30, Schuman will lead a daytime seminar on the merits of closed vs open questions and how and when to use each type – "The Primordial Distinction Between Open and Closed Attitude Questions."
Events like these are what make NYAAPOR unique, bridging academic, commercial, political and social research disciplines to create the "meeting place" for professional development and networking that our founders envisioned. We're honored by the caliber of presenters who've made space for us on their fall calendars. We'll honor them, in return, with our attendance. Sign-up forms will be available shortly at NYAAPOR.org.
More's in the works, including a holiday event in December and a roster of equally stimulating presentations and workshops in our winter season. We plan a student paper competition this year, a membership and sponsorship drive and a continued move online, where you can renew your membership, register for our programs, send in comments and, shortly, browse a new online edition of our membership roster. We'll also square our corners organizationally this year by formally incorporating the chapter and attending to various related administrative tasks.
We urge all members to attend our programs, encourage nonmember colleagues to sign up and help us in attracting corporate sponsorship for our sessions. Your support and participation are essential to the continued success of NYAAPOR and the compelling professional events we're proud to sponsor.
With best regards,
Gary Langer
President, NYAAPOR
August 2006
NYAAPOR 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 801
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 684-0542
Fax: (212) 481-3071 info@nyaapor.org
