Top Drawer Teachers

Questioning the media

These two media reports need careful analysis and also provide the opportunity to discuss the various ways to represent data.

There is an apparent contradiction between the Tasmanian and South Australian data.

These States have the highest average annual household electricity bills, but the lowest total weekly household spending on goods and services.

State

Amount

Tasmania

$2780

South Australia

$2182

New South Wales

$2068

Queensland

$1950

Victoria

$1842

Western Australia

$1515

Pictogram shows SA spends the least on goods and services at $1044 and ACT the most at $1539.

There is teaching advice for this example in Teaching Critical Questioning. You can download theĀ Analysing Media Reports: Student Worksheet as well as Analysing Media Reports: Possible Answers.