This document guides students through a statistics workshop on using a statistical investigation process called "data detective". It involves the following steps: 1. Defining a problem or question. An example problem is given about determining student interest in buying school lunches. 2. Planning how to collect data to solve the problem. An example plan is given to survey students about lunch preferences. 3. Collecting data by surveying classmates. 4. Analyzing the data through bar graphs showing survey results. Example graphs are provided. 5. Drawing a conclusion by looking at the graphs and determining if the problem was solved. Students are then asked to conduct their own investigation.

1. Statistics: The Data Detective Process Workshop

3. Write the title – Statistics Workshop 1 in your mathematics book

5. Use a statistical investigation process with guidance

6. Identify parts of the statistical investigation process and what we need to do to complete them

8. Work through the data detective process using a simple example

9. Evaluate parts of the process using examples

11. The Problem This is the first step of the data detective process. We define our problem or our question. We think about how we are going to answer the question Here’s our problem: (this is a make believe problem) We want to start selling sandwiches for lunch at Hillpark we don’t know how many students will buy and what they will pay for them. We also want to know what days to sell them on. What could we do to help us to answer or solve this problem? Write some ideas down in your mathematics book and share them with your group.

12. The Problem You might have come up with these answers or some different ones… Come up with questions you could ask students about sandwiches Ask lots of students about buying sandwiches Create a survey for students Create a survey for parents Ask students and parents at the school gate.

13. The Plan The plan involves working out what you are going to do to solve the problem. Deciding what you will measure and how you will measure it. You also need to decide how you will collect and record your data. Here are some steps we could take to plan to solve our sandwich problem: Decide on three questions to ask students Set up a survey form to use when asking students questions Get the students to answer the questions Aim for at least ¼ of students What three questions should we ask to solve our problem? How will we know we have the answer to our problem. Talk about this with your buddy.

14. The Plan Here are some questions that you might have come up with to help us to solve the problem . . . Would you buy a sandwich for lunch? Yes/No What day would you be most likely to buy a sandwich on? Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday How much would you be willing to pay for a sandwich? $1-2 $3-4 $5+ We will know that we have solved the problem when we can say yes lets sell sandwiches because… or no lets not sell sandwiches because… and be able to give a reason for our answer.

15. The Data This step involves the collection of the data, thinking about how far we have come and how much more we need to do. It also means we have to make sure the data is true and correct. When we are collecting our data we need to store it somehow. This time we are going to use our survey sheet from the previous slide. Use the survey sheet to collect data on three classmates that are not in your mathematics group. Remember to make sure the are answering truthfully. Make sure each classmate is only asked once.

16. The Data Once you’ve collected all of your data you need to store it in the same place. Put all of the data your group has collected together. Once you have all of your data ready move to the next slide.

17. The Analysis This step involves sorting and presenting your data in a useable format. This is where we decide how to present the information so that we can solve our problem. We are going to use three different bar graphs to present the data we have collected. There are a number of things that a bar graph must have so that other people can read what it says. What do we need to have in our bar graphs? Think about this with a buddy and write your answers into your mathematics book.

19. Labels for each axis

20. An appropriate scale on the Y axis (the right numbers)

21. Labels for each bar

22. Gaps between the bars

23. A ruler is used to draw the lines on the graphDraw the bar graphs for each question you have asked your classmates. Take a peak at the next slide if you’re unsure where to start

24. The Analysis Here are examples of what you might have created for each graph.

25. The Conclusion During this step we look carefully at the graphs we have created. We decide what the information has shown us and what our answer to our question is. We also think about what other problems or questions we might have for another investigation. The graphs on the previous slides tell us that more students are willing to buy sandwiches on Fridays than any other day. It also tells us that they are willing to pay between $1 and $2 for them. So yes selling sandwiches would be a good idea because students will buy them if they are sold on a Friday. What questions would we ask next? Do we need to gather more information to decide to sell our sandwiches? Talk about this with your buddy.

26. The Conclusion We would need to start our data detective process again to find more information before we start selling our sandwiches. You might have come up with these extra questions we need to ask: Who will make the sandwiches? Where will they be sold? What will they have in them? Will we use different kinds of breads and fillings?

27. Are You A Data Detective? Now that you’ve been guided through a data detective process it’s your turn. Work with a buddy to go through the process. Remember to record your findings in your mathematics book. Check out the examples on the next slide if you need some problem ideas.

28. Are You A Data Detective? Problem Ideas Holiday activities Time on the internet, television, sleeping or…? Basic facts practice times Favourite websites What you’d like to do before the end of the year Movies you’ve seen How people get to school Remember to go to the next slide once you’ve finished your investigation.

31. Use a statistical investigation process with guidance

32. Identify parts of the statistical investigation process and what we need to do to complete them

34. Work through the data detective process using a simple example

35. Evaluate parts of the process using examples

37. A little more practice and you’ll be able to conduct your own investigations with ease