Lesson 4: Fair vs. Unfair Comparisons

About 30 minutes — Discussion-based lesson

What You Will Learn

This lesson covers:

Comparing apples to oranges: different measurements, different conditions
Cherry-picking: selecting only favorable data to compare
Ignoring context: comparing numbers without background information
Activity: find 3 unfair comparisons in ads or news and explain what is wrong

Comparing apples to oranges: different measurements, different conditions

This section covers the key ideas about comparing apples to oranges: different measurements, different conditions. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Cherry-picking: selecting only favorable data to compare

This section covers the key ideas about cherry-picking: selecting only favorable data to compare. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Ignoring context: comparing numbers without background information

This section covers the key ideas about ignoring context: comparing numbers without background information. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Activity: find 3 unfair comparisons in ads or news and explain what is wrong

This section covers the key ideas about activity: find 3 unfair comparisons in ads or news and explain what is wrong. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Check Your Understanding

1. What is an unfair comparison?

Answer: Comparing things measured differently, under different conditions, or with cherry-picked data. 'Our school scores higher than yours' is unfair if the schools serve different populations.

2. What is cherry-picking in data?

Answer: Selecting only the data that supports your argument and ignoring the rest. A company might compare their best month to a competitor's worst month.

3. Why does context matter in comparisons?

Answer: Numbers without context can be misleading. 'City A has more crime than City B' means nothing without knowing the population sizes, types of crime, and how crime is counted.

4. How do you make sure your comparisons are fair?

Answer: Use the same measurement and scale, compare similar groups, include all relevant data (not just favorable parts), and always provide context.

Key Takeaways

Comparing apples to oranges: different measurements, different conditions
Cherry-picking: selecting only favorable data to compare
Ignoring context: comparing numbers without background information
Activity: find 3 unfair comparisons in ads or news and explain what is wrong

Ready for More?

Practice & Quiz

Try the practice activities and take the session quiz!

Practice Activities

Session Home

Review all lessons and materials.

Back to Session Home