Final answer:
Scientific polls are characterized by random sampling, unbiased questions, and a large sample size, all of which work together to ensure accuracy and representativeness of the poll's findings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to what constitutes the elements of a scientific poll is random sampling, unbiased questions, and large sample size. To ensure accuracy and representativeness, it is crucial that a poll entails a random sample where every individual in the desired population has an equal chance of being selected. This helps in creating a sample that mirrors the overall population's opinions and characteristics.
Unbiased questions are essential in avoiding leading the respondent to a particular answer, which could skew the data. Lastly, a large sample size contributes to statistical significance and reduces the margin of error, enhancing the poll's ability to reflect the true opinion of the entire population.
On the other hand, non-scientific polling methods like convenience sampling, which relies on readily available participants, and biased questions, can lead to results that are not broadly applicable or representative. It's also pertinent to note that stratified sampling is a type of random sampling that can be part of scientific polling if applied correctly, where the population is divided into sub-groups and random samples are drawn from each.