Critical Thinking and Data Interpretation Flashcards

When interpreting a bar graph on ISASP, what should you examine first?

Answer: The title, axis labels, and scale to understand what is being measured and compared

Understanding a graph's title, axes, and scale establishes what data is displayed before making any comparisons.

What is the difference between a 'fact' and an 'opinion' in a reading passage?

Answer: A fact can be verified as true or false; an opinion expresses a personal belief or judgment

Facts are objectively verifiable claims while opinions reflect personal perspective and cannot be proven true or false.

On an ISASP data table, how do you identify a trend?

Answer: Look for a consistent increase, decrease, or pattern across the data over time or categories

A trend is a consistent pattern of change (rising, falling, or stable) visible across multiple data points.

What does it mean to 'evaluate the credibility of a source' in ISASP informational reading tasks?

Answer: Assess whether the source is trustworthy based on authorship, evidence, bias, and publication

Credibility evaluation considers who wrote the source, their expertise, potential bias, and whether claims are supported by evidence.

What is 'logical reasoning' as applied to ISASP argument analysis?

Answer: Using evidence and sound reasoning steps to support a conclusion without logical fallacies

Logical reasoning involves valid inferential steps from premises to conclusions, free from errors like hasty generalizations.

In a line graph showing student test scores over five years, an upward trend means:

Answer: Scores have been consistently increasing over that five-year period

An upward trend in a line graph shows that the measured value (test scores) increased over the time period shown.