MATH 8

Choose one of these questions, consider how the value of Community relates to the situation and the importance of Community when conducting a statistical study.
1.  Our national debt can be found in many different sources with the statistics represented many different ways.  Identify three or more of these sources and discuss whether any of them provide a plan for future generations to be able to pay for our spending.
2.  What are your views on the country spending more money than it takes in?  Support your views with statistical reports or documentation.
3.  An “incentive” is often used to encourage people to participate in a study, such as free tickets to an event, money donated to a charity, a chance to win a prize, or even cash. How can an incentive create bias within the study?  Which group might likely be excluded in a study and which group might be over-represented when an incentive is used?
4.  Find a study that you should be cautious in interpreting because a group sponsors it or an organization that you believe might be biased on the issue being presented.  Explain whether any bias is apparent within the study.
5.  Find a study that can be interpreted in a way that could be harmful to a group in our society.  This could be very difficult to find; since one rule for any regulated research is that it will do no harm to animals or people.
6.  Should authors be held accountable for bias reports?  Why or why not?