Data collection — choosing how to collect and record data
A clear starting point, worked steps and space to practise.
Start here
Good data starts with a clear question and a consistent way to record each answer.
Test the question with one person first. Avoid overlapping categories or wording that pushes people towards an answer.
1 Work through these steps
- Decide exactly what you want to find out.
- Choose who or what to count or measure.
- Record each result once, using clear categories and units.
- Check totals before making a display.
2 Follow a worked example
You ask 12 children to choose one favourite fruit. Five choose apples and four choose bananas. The rest choose pears. How many choose pears?
Reduce diagram
Scroll across the diagram if needed. Keyboard users can focus the diagram and use the arrow keys.
- Each child chooses once, so there are 12 responses.
- 5 + 4 = 9 have been counted.
- 12 − 9 = 3 children choose pears.
3 Try it yourself
Show each step on paper or open Working out. Then check the answer.
-
A tally has groups of 5, 5 and 3 marks. How many responses?
Check answer 1
Answer: 13 responses
5 + 5 + 3 = 13.
Scratchpad · Not saved
Working out
Draw with a finger, pen or mouse, or type your working below.
Your working stays on this page. It is not submitted or saved, and clears when you leave or reload.
Check your understanding
Explain the worked example in your own words. Say why the method works, not just what the answer is.
Skills and explanation links
Key ideas taught here
- Good data starts with a clear question and a consistent way to record each answer.
- Test the question with one person first. Avoid overlapping categories or wording that pushes people towards an answer.
Method and checking
Optional recap: related Maths skills
These earlier examples revisit background skills. Start with the topic example and practice above.
Useful vocabulary
- data
- Information collected to answer a question.
- category
- A group used to organise data.
- mean
- A fair-share average.
- median
- The middle value when data is ordered.
Rules for these related skills
Check title, labels, key and scale first.
Use subtraction for 'how many more' questions.
Mean, median, mode and range each describe data in a different way.
Find the mode of 2, 3, 3, 5, 6.
- The mode is the value that appears most often.
- 3 appears twice.
- Mode = 3.
Find the median of 4, 9, 2, 7, 8.
- Order the data: 2, 4, 7, 8, 9.
- The middle value is 7.
- Median = 7.
Find the mean of 6, 8, 10, 12.
- Add values: 6 + 8 + 10 + 12 = 36.
- There are 4 values.
- 36 / 4 = 9. Mean = 9.
A graph shows 12 students chose soccer and 8 chose netball. How many more chose soccer?
- Compare the two categories.
- 12 - 8 = 4.
- 4 more students chose soccer.
More visual models and everyday examples
Each everyday example has its own information and model. Use its stated values rather than copying values from another question.
Concept example. The story examples below have their own diagrams.
Read the scale before comparing bars.
For parents and teachers
- Ask your child to explain the method aloud before writing the answer.
- Use a real-life context at home, such as shopping, cooking, sport scores, maps or timetables.
- Praise clear working and checking, not only speed.
- Encourage a quick diagram or table for word problems before calculating.
Practise choosing a method from the information in the question. The examples here are Pi Leo Academy learning activities. Official NAPLAN testing takes place in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9; a topic appearing in these notes does not mean it is tested in NAPLAN.
These notes provide guided examples and practice; they do not certify completion of every curriculum requirement.