Suppose a student named Marcus wants to learn about the sleeping habits of students in his class. Marcus wants to collect data from his classmates to learn how many hours of sleep his classmates get. He then wants to process this data with a computer and visualize it in a Histogram.

Question

Which of the following would be the best technique for Marcus to collect this data?

Marcus should ask each of his classmates to write down on a piece of paper how many hours of sleep they get per night and hand the paper to him.

Marcus should have them download an app that tracks their phone geolocation and activity so he can see when their phones are in their rooms and not being used. From this data he can figure out how long each student sleeps.

Answer 1

The best technique for Marcus to collect data about the sleeping habits of his classmates would be:

Marcus should ask each of his classmates to write down on a piece of paper how many hours of sleep they get per night and hand the paper to him.

This method allows Marcus to gather self-reported data directly from each student, ensuring that he gets their input on how many hours of sleep they actually experience. It respects privacy and autonomy, as classmates can share their sleep hours voluntarily without intrusive methods.

In contrast, the second option of using an app to track geolocation and activity raises significant privacy concerns. Many students may not feel comfortable sharing that type of data, and it could lead to ethical issues related to consent and data usage. Additionally, it might not accurately reflect the amount of sleep each student gets, as being in a room with a phone does not guarantee that they are sleeping.

Therefore, the first option is the more appropriate and ethical choice for data collection.