Student Worksheet — Session 3: Designing Better Surveys

Data Science for Young Minds · Grade 4 · Ages 9–10

Name

Date

Class Period

Part 1 — Vocabulary

Likert scale

Pilot (a survey)

Neutral (wording)

Leading question

Revision

Open-ended

Part 2 — Survey Redesign Challenge

For each bad survey question: (1) identify the problem, (2) rewrite it as a better question, (3) pilot it with a partner and record their response.

Bad Question 1: "Don't you think recess should be longer?"

Problem with this question:

My redesigned question:

Format I chose: Multiple-choice Likert scale (1–5) Yes/No

Answer choices (if applicable):

Pilot result — my partner's answer: Was it clear? Yes No — they were confused by:

Bad Question 2: "What do you think about food?"

Problem with this question:

My redesigned question:

Format I chose: Multiple-choice Likert scale (1–5) Yes/No

Answer choices (if applicable):

Pilot result — my partner's answer: Was it clear? Yes No — they were confused by:

Bad Question 3: "Do you sometimes maybe occasionally read books at home?"

Problem with this question:

My redesigned question:

Format I chose: Multiple-choice Likert scale (1–5) Yes/No

Answer choices (if applicable):

Pilot result — my partner's answer: Was it clear? Yes No — they were confused by:

Part 3 — Write Your Own Survey Questions

Think of a topic you'd like to learn about from your classmates (favorite subjects, hobbies, habits, etc.). Write 2 original survey questions — make sure they follow the rules!

My topic:

Question 1:

Format: Multiple-choice Likert (1–5) Open-ended Checkboxes/options:

Question 2:

Format: Multiple-choice Likert (1–5) Open-ended Checkboxes/options:

Part 4 — Think About It

Why is piloting a survey important? What could go wrong if you skip it?

When would a Likert scale be better than a yes/no question? Give an example.

Take-Home Challenge — Survey Spotter!

Find a survey question anywhere (online, in a magazine, at a store). Bring it in or write it down.

Write the question here:

Is it a good question or a bad question? Why?