Lesson 4: When Things Go Wrong

About 30 minutes — Discussion-based lesson

What You Will Learn

This lesson covers:

Common mistakes: skipping people, recording wrong, changing your question mid-survey
What 'error' means in data: small mistakes that add up
How to check your data for mistakes
The importance of writing down your method so others can repeat it

Common mistakes: skipping people, recording wrong, changing your question mid-survey

This section covers the key ideas about common mistakes: skipping people, recording wrong, changing your question mid-survey. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

What 'error' means in data: small mistakes that add up

This section covers the key ideas about what 'error' means in data: small mistakes that add up. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

How to check your data for mistakes

This section covers the key ideas about how to check your data for mistakes. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

The importance of writing down your method so others can repeat it

This section covers the key ideas about the importance of writing down your method so others can repeat it. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Check Your Understanding

1. What is a data collection error?

Answer: A mistake made while gathering data — like miscounting, recording the wrong answer, or skipping some people. Small errors can change your results.

2. Why should you write down your method?

Answer: So someone else could repeat your exact steps and get similar results. If your method is unclear, nobody can verify your findings.

3. What happens if you change your question in the middle of a survey?

Answer: Your results become unreliable because some people answered a different question than others. Always keep your question exactly the same.

4. How can you check your data for mistakes?

Answer: Count your total responses (do they match how many people you asked?), look for answers that seem impossible or unusual, and have someone else review your recordings.

Key Takeaways

Common mistakes: skipping people, recording wrong, changing your question mid-survey
What 'error' means in data: small mistakes that add up
How to check your data for mistakes
The importance of writing down your method so others can repeat it

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Practice Activities

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