Idea 18of 22Builds onDecide the one message firstOne big number
“Most” means more than half
When can a headline say “most”?
Today you'll discover
- what “most” promises
- how the half-way line checks it
- what to say instead
Think firstGarden beds got 18 of 50 votes
Garden beds got 18 of the 50 votes. Is this headline fair?
Decide first, then press Next. Find half of everyone asked before you trust “most”.
A bar graph of the Grade 5 yard vote, garden beds 18, outdoor games 16, reading space 10, art wall 6, under the headline Most students want garden beds! A dashed line at 25, half of 50, sits above every bar. Then a bracket between the top two bars: 18 − 16 = 2. Then a fair headline. The last step shows the team's vote: passing 13 of 24.
See the whole ideathe big idea and the key word, in one place
The big idea
“Most” means more than half; “got the most” only means more than any other choice.
What the words promise
“Everyone”: all. “Most”: more than half. “Got the most”: more than any other. “Just ahead”: a small lead.
- Everyoneall
- Mostmore than half
- Got the mostthe biggest
Easy to get wrongFind half of everyone asked, not half of the biggest count. Half of 50 is 25, whatever the bars show.
Key word
- most
- more than half of the group; not the same as getting the most votes
Ready to use it?
- Decide whether “most” fits a data set.
- Rewrite a headline so it fits the numbers.