Analyzing and Interpreting Data
"Once collected, data must be presented in a form that can reveal any patterns and relationships and that allows results to be communicated to others. Because raw data as such have little meaning, a major practice of scientists is to organize and interpret data through tabulating, graphing, or statistical analysis. Such analysis can bring out the meaning of data—and their relevance—so that they may be used as evidence.
Engineers, too, make decisions based on evidence that a given design will work; they rarely rely on trial and error. Engineers often analyze a design by creating a model or prototype and collecting extensive data on how it performs, including under extreme conditions. Analysis of this kind of data not only informs design decisions and enables the prediction or assessment of performance but also helps define or clarify problems, determine economic feasibility, evaluate alternatives, and investigate failures." (NRC Framework, 2012, p. 61-62)
Initially, data collected during an investigation or through research may have little meaning for students. Emphasizing strategies for organizing and interpreting this data will help reveal patterns and relationships that may not be obvious at first. Identifying relevant patterns within the raw data allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the scientific phenomena being investigated.
As with the other practices, Analyzing and Interpreting Data requires students to build on prior experiences and progress toward using new approaches and tools for collecting data. In the K-2 grade band, data collection is qualitative in nature. For example, students are asked to record their observations of the nature world through pictures, drawings, and/or words. For grades 3-5, while students continue to record qualitative observations, an emphasis on quantitative approaches for data collection is introduced. This quantitative focus encourages students to explore different organizational tools such as tables and graphs. Another shift in the 3-5 grade band challenges students to use digital tools to organize and interpret data whenever possible. As students progress to grades 6-8, a new emphasis on error analysis and data limitations is required. Students look critically at the data they've collected and attempt to improve the accuracy by using different tools and/or methods. No matter the grade level, the ultimate goal for our students is to effectively sift through this information and pull out the relevant data to use as evidence when arguing a claim.
