This document provides instructions for completing a political ideology survey. It explains that participants should use a 5-point scale to respond to statements about economic/foreign policy issues and social issues. For each response, they should multiply the points for their answer by a 1-3 intensity rating for how important the issue is to them personally and record the scores in the provided columns. They will then subtract the totals of the odd and even numbered columns to calculate X and Y coordinates that represent their political ideology on the survey's scales.

1. Instructions for Political Ideology Survey
Use the following scale to complete the surveys on the following pages.
SA Strongly Agree; 5 pts. Intensity Scale:
A Agree; 4 pts. How important is this issue to you?
N Neutral; 3 pts. 3: I care deeply about this issue.
D Disagree; 2 pts. 2: I care, but don’t feel strongly.
SD Strongly Disagree; 1 pt. 1: This issue isn’t very important to me.
1. Complete the survey questions for ‘Economic and Foreign Policy.’
Multiply the number of points for ‘Your Response’ (i.e.; 5 points for
‘strongly agree’) by the ‘Intensity’ column. Put the result in the
correct ‘Score’ column.
2. Total the scores for the ‘Odd’ and ‘Even’ columns.
3. Subtract the ‘Odd’ numbers column total from the ‘Even’ numbers
column. That number will be your Y‐coordinate when we graph your
political ideology.
4. Complete the survey questions for ‘Social Policy.’ Multiply the number
of points for ‘Your Response’ (i.e.; 5 points for ‘strongly agree’) by the
‘Intensity’ column. Put the result in the correct ‘Score’ column.
5. Total the scores for the ‘Odd’ and ‘Even’ columns.
6. Subtract the ‘Odd’ numbers column total from the ‘Even’ numbers
column. That number will be your X‐coordinate when we graph your
political ideology.

2. Political Ideology Survey
Economic and Your Intensity: Score: Score:
Foreign Policy Response 1 - 3 Odds Evens
1. Health care is a basic human right, but costs have ○ SA (5 pts)
been soaring out of control. A universal, government‐
○ A (4 pts)
run health care system should be established, similar
to those in Europe and Canada, so that the
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
government can ensure that everyone will have access
○ SD (1 pt)
to health care.
2. We should open public lands for carefully managed ○ SA (5 pts)
offshore drilling, in order to reduce dependence on ○ A (4 pts)
foreign oil. We can do this and still protect the
environment.
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
3. Corporations such as oil and drug companies make ○ SA (5 pts)
too much profit. The government should take steps to ○ A (4 pts)
see that certain businesses don’t make unfair profits at
the expense of their employees and consumers by
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
taxing more of those profits. ○ SD (1 pt)
4. We should reform the Social Security system so that ○ SA (5 pts)
instead of paying all the taxes to the government, ○ A (4 pts)
people could invest a portion of that money in the
stock market to manage their retirement money
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
themselves. ○ SD (1 pt)
5. The United States should withdraw our troops from ○ SA (5 pts)
Iraq as soon as possible because we shouldn’t be ○ A (4 pts)
risking American lives any longer in an unjust war. ○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
6. The best guarantee of peace for our country is ○ SA (5 pts)
having a strong military. ○ A (4 pts)
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
7. In foreign policy, we need work more with the ○ SA (5 pts)
United Nations to achieve collective agreement on ○ A (4 pts)
critical issues because it is vital to have the support of
other nations for our actions in the world.
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
8. Because illegal immigration is both an economic and ○ SA (5 pts)
national security issue, we must strengthen border ○ A (4 pts)
security to sharply reduce additional illegal
immigration by building a security fence along our
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
southern border. ○ SD (1 pt)
Totals

3.
Social Your Intensity: Score: Score:
Policy Response 1 - 3 Odds Evens
1. We should NOT exclude or prevent same sex ○ SA (5 pts)
couples from the possibility of child adoption. ○ A (4 pts)
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
2. People applying for jobs or to colleges should ○ SA (5 pts)
never receive any preference based on their race, ○ A (4 pts)
gender, or ethnic origin. ○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
3. The death penalty is a violation of human rights, ○ SA (5 pts)
and is recognized around the world as cruel and ○ A (4 pts)
unusual punishment. Capital punishment should be
banned.
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
4. Abortion is equivalent to murder because unborn ○ SA (5 pts)
children are, by definition, human beings from the ○ A (4 pts)
point of conception onward. They deserve the right
to enter into this world unharmed, unless the
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
mother’s life is in danger. ○ SD (1 pt)
5. Competition may be appropriate for business, but
○ SA (5 pts)
we shouldn’t have it in education. School vouchers
○ A (4 pts)
that allow children to attend schools of their choice,
including private schools, take money away from
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
regular public schools and should NOT be
○ SD (1 pt)
encouraged.
6. Gun control laws do nothing to reduce crime, and ○ SA (5 pts)
just place barriers in the way of law‐abiding citizens ○ A (4 pts)
who want to exercise their Second Amendment
rights to buy a gun.
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
○ SD (1 pt)
7. We need to do more to help those in need. Society ○ SA (5 pts)
should NOT have as strict limitations on how much ○ A (4 pts)
aid they receive, or for how long they receive it,
because a measure of a just society is how it helps
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
those most in need. ○ SD (1 pt)
8. People in our country should not separated by ○ SA (5 pts)
religious, ethnic, or racial differences. We should ○ A (4 pts)
stop focusing on diversity and all that divides us,
and instead celebrate our common American
○ N (3 pts)
○ D (2 pts)
0
heritage. ○ SD (1 pt)
Totals