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Originally Posted by TheMercenary
Fail. Widely known as the weakest forms of statistical measure.
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Cite please....from a reputable source!
You might start with this publication from the American Statistical Association:
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What is a Survey
Today the word "survey" is used most often to describe a method of gathering information from a sample of individuals. This "sample" is usually just a fraction of the population being studied...
In a bona fide survey, the sample is not selected haphazardly or only from persons who volunteer to participate. It is scientifically chosen so that each person in the population will have a measurable chance of selection. This way, the results can be reliably projected from the sample to the larger population...
...When it is realized that a properly selected sample of only 1,000 individuals can reflect various characteristics of the total population, it is easy to appreciate the value of using surveys to make informed decisions in a complex society such as ours. Surveys provide a speedy and economical means of determining facts about our economy and about people's knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, expectations, and behaviors...
http://www.whatisasurvey.info/
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National polling organizations like Gallup, Harris, Zogby, etc have the policies and practices in place to ensure that they meet or surpass the accepted standards of reliability....or they would be out of business very quickly.
Polls you see on the Drudge, CNN.com, etc where anyone can click and submit have no standards.