You got 7 of 9 possible points.
Your score was: 78 %

Question Results

Score 1 of 3

Question:

Multiple choice question

Data are numbers and facts that give you information.

For example:

In this survey, data were collected from over 1200 people.

It took many days to put all the data from our survey into the computer.

Scientists use data to support their conclusions.The pictures below show different ways to present and store data.

measurements and facts

conclusions

statistics

numbers that give us information

The  4 pictures below show different ways to present and store data.

Which answers below are closest in meaning to data? Choose the 3 correct answers.

Response:

measurements and facts

numbers that give us information

conclusions
Feedback:

Data are statistics or facts that can help us reach conclusions. Data are not conclusions: We have to interpret the data before we can reach any conclusions.

statistics
Score 3 of 3

Question:

Multiple choice question

interview people.

prove a theory.

support a hypothesis.

confirm a claim.

Which answers best complete this sentence? Choose the 3 correct answers.

 

Data can be used to...

Response:

confirm a claim.

prove a theory.

support a hypothesis.

interview people.
Score 3 of 3

Question:

Multiple choice question

This exercise focuses on questions you can ask yourself to help you understand and critically evaluate data.

 

Examples of these questions include:

Do these data come from a reliable source?

How were these data collected and by whom?

Which data should I pay attention to?

What additional data should I be looking for in order to help me understand these data?

Read the paragraph, then answer the question below.

 

check whether the original source of the data is reliable.

ask other people what they think the data mean.

ask what additional data we need in order to get a complete picture.

examine additional data which may also be relevant.

Look at the 2 graphs below.

If we look only at the first graph, it seems as if America has a serious problem: For the last thirty years, the amount of money America owes to other countries has increased every year. But before we reach any conclusions, we need to ask:

 

What additional data should I look for to help me understand these data?

 

The second graph shows us a very different picture. Although America's debt is increasing steadily, this amount is also steadily decreasing in relation to her gross domestic product (gdp - value of all goods and services produced inside the borders of a country in a year). This second graph gives us the background we need to interpret the first graph. 

In addition to asking if we need more data before reaching a conclusion, we also need to ask if data are reliable. The two graphs below come from Wikipedia - a source that anyone can edit and change. This means that we need to check the original source of these data, and Wikipedia gives a link to this source:

USA Government,http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/pdf/hist.pdf

What is the main message of the above text? Choose three answers that best complete this sentence:

 

Before reaching any conclusions based on data, we need to…

Response:

check whether the original source of the data is reliable.

examine additional data which may also be relevant.

ask other people what they think the data mean.

ask what additional data we need in order to get a complete picture.