Worked examples
Two examples
Example 1
A study written for this example
Which conclusion do the data best support? (a) Street trees cool every city in the world. (b) On that afternoon, the sidewalk on the block with trees was cooler. (c) The block without trees was cooler. (d) Trees make oxygen.Students measured the sidewalk temperature on two nearby blocks in the South Bronx every half hour on one hot July afternoon. One block had large street trees; the other had none. At every reading, the shaded sidewalk was 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit cooler.
- First, say the finding in the plainest words you can: on one afternoon, on two blocks, the sidewalk with trees was cooler.
- Now check each choice against that sentence.
- (a) says “every city in the world.” The study measured two blocks on one afternoon. It goes too far.
- (c) goes against the data.
- (d) is true, but this study did not measure oxygen. It is not shown by these data.
- (b) stays inside the evidence: the same place, the same time, the same finding.
Answer: (b)
Example 2
A study written for this example
A tea company writes: “Our tea puts you to sleep fast.” Is that supported?In a test of a new sleep tea, 80 adults were split by chance into two groups. Those who drank the tea fell asleep in 22 minutes on average; those who drank a look-alike tea with no herbs fell asleep in 24 minutes.
- Say the finding plainly: in this test, the tea drinkers fell asleep 2 minutes sooner on average, 22 against 24.
- Two minutes, on average, is a small difference. Some tea drinkers may have taken longer than some of the others.
- “Puts you to sleep fast” promises a large effect for each person. The data show a small average difference.
- A supported statement: “In one test, people who drank the tea fell asleep about 2 minutes sooner, on average.”
Answer: No. The data show only a small average difference, 2 minutes.
Where this is taught: Science Practices, part 5: Reasoning from data · Look Again Quiz 5: Reasoning from Data
In your Kaplan book: Unit 4, Chapter 1, Lesson 3: Reason with Scientific Information · Map of the Terrain, topic 5: Reasoning from data
The drill
Ten questions
How many:
Read what is in the box first, if there is one. Then tap your answer; a few questions ask you to choose words from a drop-down instead, the way the GED test does. Press Check my answers at the bottom.Read what is in the box first, if there is one. Circle your answer; where there are brackets, circle the choice that fits. The answer key, with the reasoning, is on the last page.