Keep comparisons comparable

Supplied materials

• Paper and pencil, or a browser text area. All named people/events/records are fictional learning inputs.
• Worked case: Excerpt A: Three of four trial visitors asked for part names. Labels can connect those names to the diagram, so test clearer labels. Excerpt B: Ignore Lea’s label proposal; her coat is ridiculous. Excerpt C: The log lists four returned forms. Excerpt D: Record A covers one month; B covers one year, both counting the same defined visitors.
• Primary check: Excerpt A: Trust my label proposal: I trained as a display designer for five years. No outcome data are supplied here. Excerpt B: We must choose red or blue labels. The supplied catalog also offers readable black labels. Excerpt C: Jo said nothing when the card arrived. The writer claims she intended to impress the visitors. Excerpt D: A counts all visitors; B counts only registered members, both during May.

Learn the idea

A comparison needs compatible time, groups and measures. Different definitions can explain apparent differences without one record being false.

Inspect the explicit mismatch in the supplied records and name the affected condition. Do not invent a mismatch that is absent.

Original worked input: Original excerpt D: Record A covers one month; B covers one year, both counting the same defined visitors. The task is to keep comparisons comparable. The answer is “same time period”. Evidence: Record A covers one month; B covers one year, both counting the same defined visitors. Reasoning: same time period is supported because month and year are different periods despite otherwise shared definitions. Same number of records does not guarantee the same population.

1. Read the supplied worked case and identify the part named in this lesson. An adult can model unfamiliar words.
2. Inspect the explicit mismatch in the supplied records and name the affected condition. Do not invent a mismatch that is absent.
3. Check the worked solution: same time period. Evidence: Record A covers one month; B covers one year, both counting the same defined visitors. Reasoning: same time period is supported because month and year are different periods despite otherwise shared definitions. Same number of records does not guarantee the same population.
4. Use the new primary and practice cases. Give a reason from the actual words before checking the feedback.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Changed-input task: Original excerpt D: A counts adults; B counts people of every age at the same display on Friday. Give an evidence-based answer before looking at the model. Expected reasoning: Evidence: A counts adults; B counts people of every age at the same display on Friday. Reasoning: same population definition is supported because member, adult and all-visitor groups include different people. Same number of records does not guarantee the same population. Then write a brief alternative sentence, paragraph, source note or scene that demonstrates the same operation; label new fictional details and preserve source limits.

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