Before the vote: Before deciding on the Reed Marsh homes, the council asks 400 residents to score some statements from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
That is a values survey: a way to find out how a whole group sees an issue, not just one person.
Choose
- Who to ask: the town's residents
Ask
- Statements scored 1 to 5
Read
- Patterns in the scores: what this group puts first
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A survey is only useful if it is fair to every side.
Cover every side
- Statements for the homes and for the marsh.
Use a scale
- 1 to 5 shows how strongly, not just yes or no.
Ask a fair sample
- All ages and streets, not only the birdwatching club.
Leading statement
- Don't you agree the precious marsh must be saved?
Fair statement
- The marsh should be protected, even if fewer homes are built. (1 to 5)
Split the answers: Sort the scores by group, such as age or street, to see whose perspectives differ.
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The council's results, as % who agree:
| Statement | Under 30 | Over 60 |
|---|---|---|
| New homes matter more than the marsh | 72% | 35% |
| The marsh should be protected | 41% | 80% |
What it shows
- Younger residents put homes first.
- Older residents put the marsh first.
- So the town is split by age, not united.
Why results can mislead: People may give the answer that sounds good. Only those who care may reply. The wording can push answers one way.
A survey shows what people say they value. What they do can be different.
What residents said
- 80% of over-60s: the marsh should be protected.
What happened
- Only 40 people came to the meeting on the marsh.
- Most of them drove there.
The question to ask: Do the group's actions match its survey answers? Where they match, the values are real. Where they do not, something else, such as cost or convenience, is winning.
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How this comes up: You are given survey results and evidence of what a place actually did, and asked whether its actions reflect its values.
A national survey found that 70% of people say protecting forests matters more than economic growth. Over the next ten years the country halved its rate of forest loss and doubled its solar power, but it also opened three new coal mines. Discuss whether the country's actions reflect these values.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
The trap: Retelling the survey instead of judging the actions. Every point should compare a value with something the country did.