The Times survey of professors of Shakespeare, conducted March 5 though 29, is based on a random sample of colleges and universities in the United States that offer degree programs in English. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 5 percentage points. Professors were sent an e-mail invitation to complete the survey online.
1. How much thought have you given to the controversy over the authorship of the Shakespeare works?
25% A lot
54 Some
20 Not much
1 None
Have you read any of the following writers' works on this subject?
2. Mark Anderson
17% Yes
83 No
3. Delia Bacon
23% Yes
77 No
4. Alden Brooks
9% Yes
91 No
5. G. George Greenwood
10% Yes
90 No
6. Abel Lefranc
7% Yes
93 No
7. J. Thomas Looney
29% Yes
71 No
8. Irvin Matus
10% Yes
90 No
9. Scott McCrea
11% Yes
89 No
10. Charlton Ogburn
Continue reading the main story26% Yes
74 No
11. Diana Price
8% Yes
92 No
12. John H. Stotsenburg
3% Yes
97 No
13. A.W. Titherley
5% Yes
95 No
14. Other - Which author?
29% Specific Name
3 Don't remember name(s)
68 None
15. Do you think that there is good reason to question whether William Shakespeare of Stratford is the principal author of the plays and poems in the canon?
6% Yes
82 No
11 Possibly
1 I don't know
16. Do you ever mention the Shakespeare authorship question in your Shakespeare classes?
72% Yes
2 No
26 Only if a student asks about it
17. Overall, do you think that teachers of Shakespeare courses discuss the authorship question sufficiently?
54% Yes
8 No
38 I don't know
18. Which of the following best describes your opinion of the Shakespeare authorship question?
2% Has profound implications for the field
3 An exciting opportunity for scholarship
61 A theory without convincing evidence
32 A waste of time and classroom distraction
2 No opinion
19. How would discussing the Shakespeare authorship question in your courses and lectures affect your standing in the academic community?
5% It would enhance it
74 It would have no effect
11 It would hurt it
11 I don't know
20. For how many years have you been teaching Shakespeare at the undergraduate level?
14% 1-5 years
22 6-10 years
15 11-15 years
16 16-20 years
9 21-25 years
25 Over 25 years
21. For how many years have you been teaching Shakespeare at the graduate level?
58% Don't teach at graduate level
13 1-5 years
9 6-10 years
5 11-15 years
8 16-20 years
2 21-25 years
5 Over 25 years
22. How would you describe your views on most academic matters?
47% Liberal
40 Moderate
9 Conservative
5 I don't know
23. How old are you?
3% 18-29
29 30-44
58 45-64
10 Over 64
24. Are you male or female?
62% Male
38 Female
How the Poll Was Conducted
The Times survey of professors of Shakespeare was conducted March 5 through 29 from a random sample of four-year American colleges and universities offering a degree in English literature, drawn from a 2005 College Board survey of postsecondary institutions.
From each institution, the professor currently teaching a course on Shakespeare, or the professor who had most recently or most frequently taught one, was selected to take part. They were identified by checking schedules online or by contacting deans. These professors were sent e-mail invitations with a Web address for the online questionnaire. If a survey respondent completed the questionnaire more than once or was not part of the sample, responses were not included in the results.
Of the 1,340 institutions in the College Board data set, a random sample of 637 was drawn. Shakespeare professors were identified at 556, and 265 completed the questionnaire.
In theory, in 19 of 20 cases, overall results based on such samples will differ by no more than five percentage points in either direction from what would have been obtained by seeking out professors of Shakespeare at all American colleges and universities.
In addition to sampling error, the practical difficulties of conducting any survey of opinion may introduce other sources of error into the poll. Variation in the wording and order of questions, for example, may lead to somewhat different results.
Continue reading the main story