A: Analyzing a Survey
Pick a topic which interests you and find a recent news article on the web containing a survey or opinion poll related to this topic. Cite your source and include the link (double check that it works! I can’t determine the accuracy of your answers without access to the source – which means no credit could be awarded.)
Make sure the article uses credible data sources so you will be able to answer the following questions. Some examples of established, well-respected and transparent data sources are Pew Research Center, Gallup, FiveThirtyEight and Reuters/Ipsos. (Note: These are just a few examples of data sources, and they don’t need to be the direct source of the article. You may find some of the articles directly published from these sources often contain too much information or relate to multiple studies.)
Here are some guidelines for assessing the credibility of web information.
3 points each. Check the grading rubric to ensure you can get full points.
1. What question(s) does the survey seek to answer? Identify the population and variables.
2. Identify the sample and sample size and describe how the sample was chosen. What members of the population might have been excluded from the survey?
3. Identify the descriptive statistics given in the article (state them explicitly, for example 35% of college students in this survey reported watching TikTok videos during class).
4. What inferences (conclusions about the population) do the article draw from the descriptive statistics?
B: Analyzing a Graph
Find a graph or chart published in a recent news article (it doesn’t have to be the same one from Part A, but it could be). Copy and paste the image directly below, cite your source, and include the link.
1. What type of graph is this (Pareto chart, histogram, heat map, etc.)? Is it cross-sectional or time-series?
2. Identify the variables represented in this graph. Are they qualitative or quantitative? What is the level of measurement for each (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio)?
3. How do you interpret this graph? Describe any trends, patterns, or outliers you notice.
C: Analyzing Your Data
Track your phone’s screen time (in minutes) for a period of 10 consecutive days. This can be done with your phone settings (Screen Time for iPhone, Digital Wellbeing for Android.) Type the time for each day in the table below. I promise I won’t judge!
Type just the time in minutes (no words)
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1. Calculate the mean and median daily usage. Which number do you think reflects your actual habits, and why? Point out and try to explain any outliers.
2. What is the mode of your screen time report? Explain why it is the mode.
3. The report will probably show you more detailed statistical information and visual graphs about your screen time. Did anything surprising or insightful stand out to you? What conclusions or implications can you draw from these numbers? And just as importantly, what do you think they might be missing or unable to show?
