The key idea of statistical investigations at level 8 is creating, modelling and telling a story about a wider universe, supporting this with sophisticated statistical techniques and informed contextual knowledge.
Students are using the PPDAC (Problem, Plan, Data, Analysis, Conclusion) cycle in different data collection contexts. A key focus at this level is the use of experimental design principles. Key transitions at this level include:
- the integration of statistical and informed contextual knowledge to answer investigative questions,
- using appropriate statistical models,
- making statistical inferences about populations or processes from samples using methods such as bootstrapping or randomisation to determine estimates, confidence intervals, forecasts, and strength of evidence, and
- evaluating all stages of the cycle.
Students will be sourcing relevant contextual knowledge about the situation under investigation from places such as the internet, the school or local library, newspapers and magazines.
This key idea develops from the key idea of statistical investigations at level 7 where students were telling a story about a wider universe, considering sampling variability and sample size effects.