Year 5 QCA Unit 5C. Evaluating information, checking accuracy and questioning plausibility

About this unit
In this unit children learn the importance of checking information for mistakes and anomalies, how to detect mistakes and to amend them.

They will be able to apply what they have learnt in this unit whenever they handle information.

Where this unit fits in

This unit builds on Unit 4D 'Collecting and presenting information: questionnaires and charts', and Unit 5B 'Analysing data and asking questions: using complex searches'.

This unit assumes that children can interpret bar charts and line graphs.

Technical vocabulary
  • accuracy
  • error
  • bias  
Resources

  • prepared data files containing errors
Images


Sounds


Video

Software suitable to use:

Microsoft office or Works-Excel
Microsoft Office or Works-Access

Online Resources-for Teachers:

  
Online Resources- for Pupils:

  
Objectives:

key idea: that information held on databases may contain errors and that this can affect results
technique: to check for accuracy by checking data

technique: to check for anomalies using graphical representations

  • to identify and correct implausible and inaccurate data
QCA-ACTIVITIES:

 Section 1: SETTING THE SCENE
Ask the class to consider how databases are used in everyday life, eg a pupil database on the school computer, databases in banks, hospitals, supermarkets, offices; and those held by police, local authorities and government agencies. Discuss the purposes and uses of these databases. Discuss what would happen if any of these databases contained errors. Discuss with the class how the unregulated nature of the Internet can lead to inaccurate or biased information. Ask the children to suggest who might put this information on the World Wide Web, and why.

Section 2: SHORT FOCUSED TASKS

Prepare a database containing errors, such as incorrect spelling, implausible data (for example, 1 metre for the length of a river), and incorrect field types (for example 'ten' in a number field or 'girl' in a field where 'f' for female is required). The errors should be ones which could have serious implications; for example, incorrect totals in a savings account or times in a timetable database. Ask the children to practise checking accuracy and amending records. Then ask them to discuss how errors can affect results.

Discuss cases when data can be corrected immediately (such as incorrectly spelt entries or obviously incorrect field types), and cases when errors can be detected but not corrected (such as when the data is implausible). Tell the class that if errors are more complex it may be safer to delete the whole record.

Section 3: SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
Prepare a data file that measures a child's height from birth to the age of 12 and include one error. Show the data to the class and discuss how difficult it is to spot errors. Show how a line graph can help highlight errors.

Ask the children to use line graphs to check for mistakes whenever they enter continuous data into a database, spreadsheet or graphing program.

Section 4: INTEGRATED TASK
These techniques could be practised whenever children use ICT to handle information.

Expectations
most children will: interpret, check and question data; recognise that poor quality information leads to unreliable results

some children will not have made so much progress and will: recognise the importance of checking data and that poor quality information leads to unreliable results

some children will have progressed further and will: interpret, check and question data; use logical inference to identify implausible and inaccurate data; recognise that poor quality information leads to unreliable results

Assessment
2Simple-2Assess
Activities by QCA-Databases mixed questions