asking good questions what is a statistical question?
TRANSCRIPT
Standard
• MCC6.SP.1. Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the question and accounts for it in the answers. For example, “How old am I?” is not a statistical question, but “How old are the students in my school?” is a statistical question because one anticipates variability in students’ ages.
Essential Question
•What are the characteristics of a good statistical question, and how do I write a good statistical question?
I wonder if, “Do you like sports?”
is a statistical question.
A Common Mistake
Students ask questions with too few or too many answers and do not state a
specific population.
Do you like math?
What do you like best about
school?
Core Lesson Do you like math?
Responses from 6th graders at McKinley Middle School
Too Many Choices
• Now let’s look at the other question, “What do you like best about school?” Let’s imagine how this graph might look. Whoa! There are so many answers that everyone gave a different answer, except for computers which received 2 votes. This is not a statistical question because there are too many answer choices. The number of answers given is called, “variability”. Statistical questions should ideally have about variability of 4-6 answers. Also, this graph does not include the population that was sampled, or surveyed. Do you think the responses would be different if adults were asked this question instead of students?
Core LessonFavorite Sports on TV
What is your favorite sport
on TV?
Based upon U.S. viewer data from The Nielsen Company.
Think About….
• Suppose you asked this question to the University of Georgia football team. Would it be a statistical question?
• There is no variability in the responses, so it is NOT a good statistical question.
Core Lesson
What is your favorite sport
on TV?
Responses from members of the University of GEORGIA football team
A statistical question:
• Asks about a topic of interest.• Includes a specific population.• Has variability in the responses.
Guided Practice
Which of these is a statistical question?
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Is chocolate your favorite
ice cream flavor?
Which of these is a statistical question?
• How many miles do I live from school?
• How many miles do the students in my school live from school?
Which of these is a statistical question?
• How many books did the students at Jeff Davis Middle School read this summer?
• How many books did you read today?
Core Lesson
How many answers could you expect to hear if you asked 16 sixth graders at
Jeff Davis Middle School this question:
What did you eat for dinner last night?
Core Lesson
Frie
d Chi
cken
Spag
hetti
Mac a
nd C
hees
e
Kung
Pao
Chick
en
Hot D
ogs
Hambu
rger
s
Slop
py Jo
es
Chick
en N
ugge
ts
Lasa
gna
Chees
ebur
gers
Barbe
cue
Shrim
p
Chow M
ein
Pork
Cho
ps
Taco
sEg
gs0
1
2
Let’s Make It Better!!!• What is the 6th graders’ favorite meal in
the school cafeteria?
• What is the favorite Mexican food at Jeff Davis Middle School?
To write a good statistical question:
• Think about the different answers you expect to hear and edit your question.
• Remember to state the population.
Look at this question: “Do you like dogs?”
How many responses would you expect to hear? How could we rewrite it to account for more variability?
Let’s Practice
Rewrite this question to make it a statistical question that accounts for variability:
“Do 6th graders at Jeff Davis Middle School like apples or oranges?”
Your Turn….