Year 8 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 14
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Learning Goals
Rate the reliability
For each data source below, write whether you would rate it high, medium or low reliability for a science investigation, then give one reason.
| Data source | Reliability (high / medium / low) | One reason |
|---|---|---|
| A climate dataset from the Bureau of Meteorology | ||
| An anonymous social-media post claiming "summers are 5 degrees hotter" | ||
| Census figures published by the ABS | ||
| A single temperature you measured once with a cheap thermometer |
Choose your sources
Scenario
Investigation question: "Has the number of hot days above 35 degrees in my city changed over the last 40 years, and is this summer unusual?"
(a) Describe one primary source you could use for this question and what data it would give you.
(b) Name one trustworthy secondary source for the 40-year record, and explain why it is reliable.
(c) Explain why using both the primary and secondary source together gives a stronger answer than either one alone.
1. A video app keeps suggesting clips you enjoy. Explain how it uses your digital footprint to do this.
2. Give one example of how the same kind of online data could be used for genuine scientific research instead of advertising.
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what is the difference between using anonymised data for science and surveillance?