Sampling, data and bias

2: What do these two have in common?

Required Resources

• Slides 3 - 6

Delivery

• Introduce the topic for this lesson: handling data, statistical analysis and the identification of the merits of data from varying sources. Commencing with opinion polls, students will consider various data sources and how they indicate variations in attitude. Students will also debate the varying attitudes held by groups of individuals and consider what common experiences these groups share / by which they have been influenced.
• This brief episode firstly introduces the various factors that influence our attitudes. Working in groups of four, students select one of the listed groups on Slide 5 (or others you may wish to use) and brainstorm all of the factors that influence opinion amongst this group (some of these factors are listed in the grid on Slide 6 although it is likely that students will identify others). You should stress to students that they should consider factors that influence opinion (i.e. what they have in common), not the actual opinions of these groups.
• Selecting two groups you may then want to demonstrate:
• 1) the broad range of factors influencing opinion
• 2) the cohesion or diversity of groups (e.g. the mothers of young children which within it has great diversity but which will share some values on their common subject).
• Time permitting all groups can share their findings with the class.

Differentiation

Lower Ability:

The above groups may be substituted for other categories e.g. their own class, students at their school, supporters of their local football team. You may wish to choose one group and to work through this with the class.

Higher Ability:

Students may wish to draw a spider-gram to support their brainstorm.