EAP Interpreting Academic Data 3

Question 1

A histogram shows a distribution that is skewed to the right. What does this tell you about the data?

Accepted Answer

Most values are low, with a few very high values

Answer

A right-skewed distribution has most data concentrated at lower values, with a tail extending toward higher values.

Question 2

In a data table, the abbreviation 'SD' appears next to mean values. What does SD stand for?

Accepted Answer

Standard Deviation

Answer

SD stands for Standard Deviation, a measure of how spread out the data values are around the mean.

Question 3

A researcher shows two graphs with identical data but different x-axis scales. What is the most likely effect?

Accepted Answer

One graph will appear to show a steeper trend than the other

Answer

Changing the axis scale alters the visual slope of trends, making the same data appear to change more steeply or gradually.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes an outlier in a dataset?

Accepted Answer

A value that falls far outside the typical range of the data

Answer

An outlier is a data point that lies an abnormal distance from other values, which can skew analysis if not properly addressed.

Question 5

A table reports data for three groups with sample sizes of n=12, n=8, and n=150. What should a careful reader consider?

Accepted Answer

Results from smaller groups may be less reliable due to limited statistical power

Answer

Small sample sizes reduce statistical power and reliability, so conclusions drawn from groups with n=8 or n=12 should be interpreted cautiously.

EAP - English For Academic Purposes Practice Test