Tag Archives: bias

219. Good question, Bad question 1

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It’s been a while since I’ve done a step by step instruction post, so I thought I would share this lesson on questions and surveys.

Objective

  • To understand bias in questions
  • To consider how to structure answer options.

Equipment

  • Exercise books or paper
  • Pens
  • Ruler/straight edge
  • Scissors
  • Glue

Step 1

Write out your usual headings: title, date, objective etc. Cut across the page to the spine. Stick the title page to the lower page.
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Step 2

Fold the lower half of the page in half and cut down the fold.
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Step 3

Fold the loose piece of paper into four equal pieces. Mark the fold positions in the book.

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Step 4

Draw horizontal lines across both the upper and lower pages. Cut the upper page to the spine along those lines to make four flaps.
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Step 5

Continue the horizontal lines on the lower page under the flaps
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Step 6

Label the flaps as shown
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Step 7

Give examples of bad questions, good questions, bad response boxes and good response boxes
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Step 8

Under each flap justify why each question or response is good or bad.
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Review

My class really enjoyed this activity – one of them even wrote it in their feedback. The following are examples from my class. You might even spot some RAG123 on their pages. Follow @ListerKev or search #rag123 on Twitter to find out more.
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132. Good question, Bad question 1

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I like a topic that you can have fun with and also relates to the big bad world outside the classroom. We are constantly asked our opinions on websites, customer feedback surveys … even personality ‘tests’ in magazines. Every day there seems to be a new set of survey results hitting the news. How can you link a lesson with life?

Instead of telling pupils about biased questionning and surveys, why not give them a week or so to make a note of how often they are asked questions? They can evidence it by taking photographs, screengrabs, cutting surveys out or writing them down.

Task
Mix up the pupils into groups and get them to focus on what the question is asking and how they are expected to answer.

Note
Be prepared for some off topic discussion if they have surveys like ‘Which member of boyband X are you most likely to marry?’ or ‘Have you got what it takes to be the next (insert sportsperson or team manager here)?’

Development
Discuss which questions are fair (unbiased) and which are leading you to a certain opinion. If there are multiple choice answers, do they cover all possible ideas? Think about who would have access to this survey (sampling/sample size).

Challenge
Imagine you work for a website, magazine or shop.
1. Design a fair survey researching opinions on a relevant topic.
2. Design a very biased survey on the same topic.
3. Carry out the surveys on the same people.
4. Compare results.
5. What impact did the bias/unbiased style have?