1. Conducting Surveys

2. Imagine this scenario…
You want to find out whether or not students would participate if you started a Glee Club at CCMS.

3. Interview every tenth teenager you see at the park this weekend.
Which would be the best way to find out if students are interested?
Interview every tenth teenager you see at the park this weekend.
Interview CCMS students who are in the Choir Elective class.
Interview every tenth student leaving the CCMS cafeteria at lunch.
Which choice is best?
Why is this best?

4. Some surveys are biased.
A biased survey does not accurately represent an entire population. The sample size may be too small or only a specific group of people are surveyed.

5. Some surveys are biased.
For example, if you only survey …
Dodger fans
6th grade girls
Your math teacher
Why would these be biased?

6. Fifty middle school boys were asked the following question: “On a Friday night, would you rather play video games or watch Sports Center?”
Is this a biased survey?
How do you know?

7. In what ways is this survey biased?
Every Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., every 5th family entering Disneyland is asked “How much time, on average, do you spend with your children each week?”

8. Some surveys are random.
A random survey is used to avoid bias. This type of survey aims to accurately represent an entire population by choosing participants at random.

9. In what ways is this survey random?
Every 10th person entering the mall is asked “Who is your favorite author?”

10. You want to find out which restaurant is the most popular in Culver City. Talk with your partner about ways to select a random sample. Be ready to share your ideas with the class.

11. Two common ways to survey…
Convenience sampling
Selecting people for the survey who are easiest to ask
Voluntary sampling
When the people involved in the survey choose to be involved
(like surveying the people in this room)
(such as, write-in or call-in surveys.. like Dancing with the Stars!)
Convenience and voluntary sampling are
often biased.
Why do you think this is so?

12. How to Conduct a Survey
Develop a survey question
Collect and organize data
Display and analyze the data
Summarize the results

13. Develop a Survey Question
Statistical versus Non-statistical questions
Numerical versus Categorical questions

14. Collect and Organize Data
Select participants for your survey or gather data from another source (e.g.; book, online, etc.)
Decide your sample size
Consider whether your survey sample will be biased or random
Determine where, when, and how you will collect your data
Think about the ways you will record and organize your data

15. Display and Analyze the Data
Type(s) of graphs that would best represent the data
Measures of center and spread
Identify any outliers or irregularities in the data
Interpret the data using percentages

16. Summarize the Results Indicate the main findings
Are the results what you expected? Why or why not?