Back to Evaluate reports based on data — Problem 1 · Task Set 17

Exercises: Evaluate Reports Based on Data

Each report below makes a claim from data. Work through the four lenses: (1) the sample — who was studied and how were they chosen; (2) the design — does it license association only, or causation; (3) the uncertainty — is a sample size, margin of error, or significance disclosed; and (4) the display — is any graph honest. Write explanation answers in complete sentences. A causal verb ("causes," "raises") needs a randomized experiment; an observational study supports association only.

Grade 11·23 problems·~35 min·Common Core Math - HS Statistics and Probability·group·hss-ic-b-6

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Warm-Up: Taking a Report Apart

These problems review the parts of a report and the IC vocabulary you already know.

A headline reads: "New Study: Students Who Drink Coffee Score 15% Higher on Exams." A report has three separable parts — the claim, the evidence, and the source. Which of the following is the claim?

Drinking coffee raises exam scores.

The actual statistic, the sample of students, and the study behind the 15%.

The researcher or company that produced and funded the study.

A study must be trustworthy because it appears in a headline and reports a number.