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Data Collection Methods Survey

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Data Collection Methods Survey

The local park group wants to know how Year 6 students travel to the park. Help them choose suitable ways to collect useful, fair data. Read the mini-scenario, then solve each task. For Question 8, design a survey of your own.

The park group's question

They want to find out how Year 6 students usually travel to the park. The group could ask students, watch people arriving at the park, or run an experiment. They need a method that answers their question fairly and safely.

1.Which method would best find out how Year 6 students usually travel to the park? Choose one and explain why it fits the question.

2.Sort each method into the best category: survey, observation, or experiment. (a) Ask students how they usually travel. (b) Record how people arrive at the park entrance. (c) Test whether a new sign makes more visitors use the bike racks.

3.A student suggests asking, “You walk to the park because it is the healthiest choice, don’t you?” What makes this question unsuitable? Choose the best answer.

It is leading and could influence the answer.
It asks about a real topic.
It can be answered in words.
It is too short.

4.Rewrite the leading question as a neutral question that allows different answers.

Choose a sound collection plan

The group has four possible plans. Consider whether each gives relevant, accurate and fair information.

A. Ask only the students who are already walking to the park.

B. Ask a range of Year 6 students the same neutral question, including those who travel in different ways.

C. Guess the most popular way based on what the group likes.

D. Watch arrivals for ten minutes, then claim the results represent all Year 6 students’ usual travel.

5.Which plan is most likely to give fair information about Year 6 students’ usual travel? Explain one reason the other plans may be unreliable or biased.

6.The group wants to ask about travel habits without collecting identifying details. Which detail should they avoid asking for? Choose one.

Usual travel method
Whether the student uses a bike
The student's full name and home address
Whether the student walks

7.True or false: If only a few students are asked, the group should be cautious about claiming that the results represent every Year 6 student.

TrueFalse

Build your own mini-survey

Use a topic that could be surveyed respectfully, such as favourite playground activity or preferred library genre. Do not ask for private identifying details.

8.Choose a topic and write one clear, neutral survey question about it. Include answer choices that would make the results easy to count.

9.Describe one practical step you could take to make sure your survey is fair and one step that could help make the results more accurate.