| Sumario: | In this article, the author outlines a set of standards by which the quality of any demoscope, poll or survey of people, may be evaluated. As surveying by sampling a population grows in use, the need for standards to distinguish between good and bad workmanship also increases. Objective indices are needed. Each should measure the degree of excellence of a survey in some respect, or along some dimension. In terms of these dimensions, which define the kinds of standards, and points on each dimension, one can specify amounts of each standard, such as a minimum point, current actual point for a particular survey, an average point, or a maximum point. Then it becomes possible, by means of these standardized dimensions, for surveying agencies to specify the quality of their service to a client or to the public, or for any professional association to set up membership requirements. In proportion as standards may become more exacting in the future, demoscopes will become more exact instruments for observing people by sampling and the social sciences will become more exact sciences.
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