EVALUATE REPORTS

Unit #8
Objectives
S8-3 Evaluate a wide range of statistically based reports, including surveys, polls, experiments, and observational studies:
- Critiquing causal-relationship claims
- Interpreting margins of error
-

References:

Sigma Textbook (3rd ed),

Nulake EAS Workbook

Homework: for each hour in class, about an hour more is needed to effectively practice and process the work from that lesson, in readiness for
the next one. If you are having difficulty with something related to a lesson DO SOMETHING about it straight away.
Detail

Lesson
1
plus
homework
time

2
plus
homework
time

Sigma
References

Read the Standard page 1

Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 2 6
Follow through any worked examples, and then answer the questions on page 6
Methods of Sampling
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 7 9
Follow through any worked examples, and then answer the questions on page 9 - 10
Professional Surveys
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 11 14
Follow through any worked examples, and then answer the questions on page 15 - 18

3-4
plus
homework
time

Survey Questions
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 19 20
Follow through any worked examples, and then answer the questions on page 19 - 25
Response Rate
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 21
Political Polls
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 22 24
Follow through any worked examples, and then answer the questions on page 26 - 29

5
plus
homework
time

Statistical Experiments
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 26 28
Follow through any worked examples, and then answer the questions on page 29 - 33

Pages 19 - 25
Do questions
#18 29
A

Pages 26 - 33
Do questions
#30 39
A/M
Pages 34 - 45
Do questions
#40 57
A/M

Margin of Error
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions pages 34 41, 43 - 44
Follow through any worked examples, and then answer the questions on page 41 42 and 44 - 45

6-7
plus
homework
time

To Find what Sample size n is needed to give an interval of pre-determined width

Decide whether the wanted width is:
the WHOLE interval width = 2 k standard errors
OR just the distance away from the mean (margin of error) width = k

standard errors

8
plus
homework
time

Substitute the appropriate standard error (see formula sheet) for the situation and then solve for n.
The wording often implies the solution of an inequality
s
p(1 p)
k
k
n
n
e.g. margin of error (mean)
margin of error (proportion)
, etc
Think carefully about the direction to use, when rounding is required.
The Report Commentary
Read through and highlight key ideas, technical terms and definitions page 46
The Summary for Evaluating a Statistical Report from page 47
and the corresponding template on page 48, can be used to evaluate reports.
Read the media reports on pages 49 54, and then answer the questions following each one.

9
plus
homework
time

Practice Tasks
There is one in the workbook.
There are others on the NZQA website.
There are student exemplars on the NZQA website as well.

This standard is externally assessed in November.

Workbook
References
Pages 1 - 6
Do questions
#1 4
A
Pages 7 - 9
Do questions
#5 12
A
Pages 11 - 18
Do questions
#13 17
M/E

Ex 4.02
Ex 5.02
Ex 5.03

[Inference
Workbook 3.10
Sample size
Read P49 - 50
Questions
47 60]
M ??

Pages 46 - 54
Do questions
#58 60
M/E

Pages 55 61
A/M/E