Question 1
Samantha wants to find out how much time people spend exercising.
She designs the following questionnaire.
1(a) Which of the following options are sensible criticisms of Samantha’s questionnaire?
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A: There is no time frame in the questionnaire and there is no option for zero hours
B: The question assumes people like exercising and there are not enough options
C: There are not enough options and the question is too personal
D: The question is too personal and assumes people like exercising
Answer: A
Marks = 2
1(b) Samantha wants to improve her questionnaire.
Select the best questionnaire from the following options:
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
Workings:
The best questionnaire has no overlapping response boxes, and there is an option for 0 and 240+ mins.
Marks = 2
Question 2
Chris wants to design a questionnaire to assess his classmates’ favourite music streaming service.
2(a) Select the most appropriate questionnaire from the options below.
ANSWER: Multiple Choice
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
The question should be structured so that people only select one answer. It should also be structured so that there are no alternative ways to interpret the wording, e.g. the word ‘best’ depends on the definition – most popular, personal favourite, most features etc. It is also important to have an option for services that are not listed in the questionnaire.
Marks = 2
2(b) Chris only prints 10 copies to give out to his classmates, giving the first copies to his friends.
Why is this is not a good approach for surveying the class?
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A: The sample size is too small and will not be representative of the entire class
B: The questionnaire responses should be anonymous but Chris will know who filled out which copy
C: His friends are likely to have a bad taste in music
D: He should be handing the questionnaires out to different age groups
Answer: A
Workings:
Chris is specifically interested in assessing his classmates’ favourite music streaming services, so other age groups are not relevant.
The questionnaires do not need to be anonymous for Chris to gather useful information.
His friend’s taste in music is not relevant.
The sample is a small group and may be biased as his friends may all have similar responses, so it will not be representative of the whole class.
Marks = 1
Question 3:
Lana is trying to find out how much pocket money people in her year receive.
She designs a survey to find out.
3(a) Which of the following options are sensible criticisms of Lana’s survey?
ANSWER: Multiple Choice
A: There are overlapping response boxes and there is no option for no pocket money
B: There needs to be some way to distinguish between boys and girls
C: The survey should have a box to fill out your name
D: She has no right to be asking this sort of question
Answer: A
There are overlapping response boxes so someone who gets £5 or £10 could tick multiple boxes. There is no option for no pocket money. Additionally, there is no time frame given.
Marks = 1
3(b) Lana wants to improve her questionnaire.
Select the best questionnaire from the following options:
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
Workings:
The best option has no overlapping response boxes, as well as a time frame in the question. It also has options for no pocket money and more pocket money than any of the other options (£10+).
Marks = 2
Question 4:
Charlotte wants to find out what subject her year group likes best. She does this by printing off the questionnaire to hand out to her History class.
4(a) Why is this not a good approach.
ANSWER: Multiple Choice
A: The responses are likely to be biased
B: There may be people who don’t have a favourite subject
C: Her year group may not have the same preferences as other year groups
D: The questionnaires should be anonymous
Answer: A
Workings:
There is likely to be a bias towards people who like history, given she is handing the questionnaire out in a history class.
She is specifically interested in her own year group, and there is no specific requirement for the results to be anonymous so the other answers are all incorrect.
Marks = 1
4(b) How could Charlotte get a better sample of data to determine the favourite subject in her year group?
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A: She could take random samples across her year group by asking a certain number of people from each class.
B: She could pay someone else to gather the data for her
C: She could try to find similar data from previous year groups
D: She could try to make sure she asks more boys as her own preferences are likely to introduce bias.
Answer: A
The correct option would be to randomly sample people in her year by asking a certain number of people from each class (stratified sampling).
Paying someone else to gather data does not guarantee she will get better data.
Other year groups may have significantly different preferences to he year group so this data would not be of any use.
Asking more boys than girls is more likely to introduce bias as the responses will be dominated by the boys’ preferences.
Marks = 2
4(c) Which of the following options is the most appropriate questionnaire for Charlotte to use?
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
Workings:
The best option allows people to assign a ranking to their favourite subjects and the options are not limited by answer boxes.
Marks = 2
Question 5:
A group of students create the following questionnaire to find out about breakfast habits in their classes.
They use the following questionnaire.
They receive feedback saying their questionnaire needs to be improved.
For each question, select the most appropriate option in order to improve the questionnaire.
5(a) Select the best option to improve Q1.
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
Workings:
The boxes need to match the question and there needs to be an option for other.
Marks = 1
5(b) Select the best option to improve Q2.
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
Workings:
The best option has no overlap e.g. if you are 13 you would tick “between 13 and 14 and there would be no other option.
Marks = 1
5(c) Select the best option to improve Q3.
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
Workings:
Data can be quantified, making it easier to make comparisons.
Marks = 1
5(d) Select the best option to improve Q4.
ANSWER: Multiple choice
A:
B:
C:
D:
Answer: A
Workings:
The best option allows people to state what they have for breakfast and does not limit the response to the options in the answer boxes.
Marks = 1