Data Analysis is a process of working with the data collected, considering the information, and selecting which data will provide evidence to support the answer to the investigation question.
Explore these strategies to support students in the process of Data Analysis.
Infographic It! Want to develop critical and creative thinking skills at the same time? Ask students to evaluate and organize their data in a visual way. They must think critically as they evaluate the validity of their data and decide how to organize it. They must think creatively as they communicate their data in the form of a graph, drawing, or infographic. The more students exercise critical and creative thinking, the better problem-solvers they will be!
Critical Thinking Sentence Stems Use these sentence stems to promote critical thinking: •Why did… •How do you know that... •Are you sure that… •What's your evidence that…
Question Wall Following an investigation, encourage students to voice any questions they have. Affirm the questions and compile them on a “Question Wall.” Periodically, gather and answer the questions using secondary knowledge sources. When there is time, students can design their own investigations to answer a question from the Question Wall.
Data Your Way Help students take ownership of their learning by allowing them to choose how they represent their data from an investigation. They may stretch in their abilities and learn a new way to graph or chart data. They may observe other students’ representations and want to learn that method. Or you may want to share a variety of graph choices to spur their thinking, such as those presented in this Graph Choice Chart. When students take ownership of their learning, engagement increases.
Graph Choice Chart
Data Analysis
Turn Data into Evidence Having students transform data into evidence is a powerful strategy to promote critical thinking. Guide students in first evaluating their data for trustworthiness, then analyzing the data for patterns and trends. This could include organizing and representing the data visually. Finally, have them interpret the data in a way that conveys meaning and understanding.
Research in Progress Scientists often share their work with other scientists to get feedback that will inform their work. Have students share their findings during an investigation to foster rich discussions and develop understandings. Students can share information on investigation methods, data, data analysis, etc. Audience members ask clarifying questions and offer constructive feedback.
Research in Progress Prompt - This 1-page prompt provides a visual cue for conducting a Research in Progress. It outlines what the researcher (presenter) and the audience can do to foster a rich discussion and develop understanding as student researchers shared their progress during an investigation researchers shared their progress during an investigation.
Research in Progress Prompt
Data Analysis Prompt - This 1-page prompt provides a visual reminder of the 4- step process for analyzing data. Use as a whole class or in small groups or in small groups to encourage students to take ownership of their learning as they turn data into evidence. into evidence.
Data Analysis Prompt
Graph Choice Chart
What question would you like to explore? Write your question as a complete sentence.
© 2011 The Maine Data Literacy Project (Rev. Mar 2011)
Graphing tips
Variability questions: Frequency plot (3 kinds) Dot plot Box & whisker plot Histogram Kind of data: One categorical group and One numeric variable (one axis)
Frequency plots show how variable the group is. Describe variability by range, measure of center (mean, median, or mode), and the shape of the distribution.
Comparing groups questions: Frequency plots OR Bar graph
Kind of data: Criteria for an informative graph: Two or more categorical groups &
One numeric variable ___ Graph type fits the question Frequency plots allow you to compare ___ Axes are drawn & scaled correctly
how variable the groups are. Bar graphs ___ Axes are labeled clearly, correctly only show a single number (ie. sum, ___ Units are given average, percent or count) for each ___ Data are plotted accurately group. (To compare two groups of values) (To compare two summary values) ___ Legend is present, if needed Correlation questions: Scatter plot OR Line graph (for time series) ___ Graph is overall neat & legible Kind of data: Two numeric variables ___ Title and/or caption present
___ Trend line shown (scatter plot or Both variables must be continuously line graph only) numeric. Connect dots only if one variable is linear time (i.e. days, years…) Put time ___ Graph helps answer the question on the X-axis.
Show correlation with a ‘line of best fit’.
Proportion (percentage) questions: Pie chart OR Stacked bar graph (There are other kinds of Kind of data: questions and other kinds of Size of a subgroup as a percentage of graphs, and often more than one the whole group (Total of sub-groups graph type is useful for a given must = 100%) question. Learn to graph data for these basic kinds of questions In pie charts and stacked bar graphs, all first.) sub-group percentages must total 100%.
The Maine Data Literacy Project – Graph Choice Chart (p. 2) 2011 – Schoodic Institute and University of Maine (rev. Mar 2014)
Research in progress Sharing our work in progress!
Researchers share their investigation progress with other scientists for feedback. Use this process to share your progress with peers during an investigation.
Present a summary • Successes achieved in the investigation • Areas of the investigation needing feedback Researcher • Surprises, new learnings, wonderings
Consider the information presented • Ask clarifying questions • Provide feedback Audience • Challenge or support thinking • Share related investigations
START
X FINISH
Inquiry-Based Science