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Asking a data question — Data, 7–10

Learn to ask one clear question and collect answers that can be compared fairly. Data, 7–10 years.

One clear question

Data begins with a question whose answers can be counted or sorted. Instead of asking, “What do you like?”, ask, “Which fruit do you like best: apple, banana or orange?” Then everyone answers about the same choices.

Why make the question fair?

A vague question gives answers that mean different things, so the results cannot be compared well. Clear choices solve that problem: each person knows what the question means, and the group can see which answer appears most often.

Example: favourite fruit

Ask ten classmates to choose one fruit: apple, banana or orange. Their answers are apple, banana, apple, orange, banana, apple, orange, apple, banana, apple. Every answer fits one choice, so the question gives data we can count next.

Trap: changing the question

Someone may ask some people about fruit and others about snacks, because both sound like favourite-food questions. That feels reasonable, but the answers are no longer about the same thing. Keep the wording and choices unchanged for everyone.

Use: planning a class choice

A class can ask, “Which game should we play on Friday: tag, football or a board game?” Counting the answers helps the class choose using everyone’s replies, rather than letting the loudest voice decide. It works only if the choices are clear.

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