Student groups can share-out the questions generated, sorting them into open/closed, answerable now/more research needed. Working together, the students can choose several questions for further research. If the questions relate to data-collection, students can research as assigned work, looking into the method of data collection used in the SEER cancer studies http://seer.cancer.gov/. Classroom access to the internet is desirable for this activity. Discussion may include observational studies, experiments similarities and differences between experiments, surveillance, sampling and completeness of dataset.
The introduction of the idea of the dataset is very important from the beginning of the year. Students should see that a dataset is a real thing, based on actual people or objects that are being studied. In many cases, the data can be traced from a news blurb, to an actual study (like the SEER data). It is important to look at how the data was collected and who collected it, in order to check for bias. In addition, students should be made aware of the choices in sampling; whether to use all available data or samples, whether the data came from subjects of an experiment or from observational studies.
Questions will have arisen in the brainstorming sessions. An attempt must be made to frame those questions as potentially answerable by the students later in the year. Questions can be posted, in categories that relate to the topic where they will be answered.