The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice Manual

Appendix 3.7
Using the Common Ground Opinion Survey in a Workshop Setting
1. Participants are asked to complete the questionnaire in the last ten minutes of the initial full
group session. Advise people to work quickly and avoid getting hung up on a getting a
“right answer.” This exercise is intended to provide a “rough cut” of views, not reliable
social science research.
2. Instructions for participants are as follows. They are to fill out the first portion of the
questionnaire answering for themselves. Participants are to fill out the second version of the
questionnaire as they think people in the room who hold the opposite view on abortion would
answer it. The underlined qualifier is important – it is misleading to compare answers of the
people present with views identified with the most strident public advocates. Possible
answers range from strongest agreement to strongest disagreement. People are told they
need to designate themselves as either pro-choice or pro-life in the appropriate space, in
order for their answers to be tabulated.
3. Tabulation: PL and PC’s are separated. Using two blank questionnaires for recording (one
for the PL answers, one for the PC), all answers for each question are recorded and then the
average score is determined. As the average scores are calculated for the four categories for
each question (PC’s views, PC’s views of PL, PL’s views, PL’s views of PC), these are
entered into the results form, and then transferred onto similar charts on large newsprint
showing the four columns shown on the results form. It is best to prepare the blank
newsprint charts ahead of time.
4. In a first session after lunch, the newsprint charts are displayed and the format explained.
People are told that a difference of less than 1 point is not notable. More than 2 is very
different. Commonality can be seen where answers are within a point. A middle score (3) is
ambiguous – it can mean everyone answered 3 or that there was a wide spread which
averaged to 3.
5. A group discussion is led by asking participants the following questions. Answers can be
recorded on separate newsprint. A quicker approach is to circle the answers in each category
using different color markers (circle agreements in blue, disagreements in red, etc.)
− Where does the chart show areas of agreement?
− Where does the chart show areas of difference?
− Where does the chart show misperceptions?
Start with one side, for example PC, and identify where there are significant differences
between actual answers and predicted answers. Then take the other side. Draw attention
to stereotypes revealed in the misperceptions.