Interpreting Evidence and Data Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Interpreting Evidence and Data Questions and Answers flashcards as text
A study reports: 'Students who slept 8+ hours scored 15% higher on tests than those who slept fewer than 6 hours.' A teacher concludes: 'Students in my class who sleep more will score higher on my next test.' What is the best interpretation of this evidence?
Answer: The study suggests a correlation between sleep and performance; the teacher's conclusion is plausible but requires caution about individual variation and confounders.
Research establishes a likely pattern, but applying population-level findings to a specific class requires recognizing individual variation, the study's conditions, and potential confounders.
A bar chart shows that city A has the highest number of reported thefts among five cities. Which interpretation is most accurate?
Answer: City A has the highest theft reporting rate, which may reflect high crime, high reporting behavior, or both.
Reported theft numbers reflect both actual crime and reporting rates — high reports could indicate more crime, better policing that encourages reporting, or higher civic engagement in reporting.
Data shows that country X has an average life expectancy of 82 years, while country Y has 69 years. Which conclusion is best supported by this data alone?
Answer: People in country X live longer on average than those in country Y.
Life expectancy data directly supports the statement about relative average lifespans — the other conclusions require additional data points beyond life expectancy alone.
A company's employee satisfaction survey shows that 73% of respondents rate their job satisfaction as 'high' or 'very high.' HR concludes that the company has a strong workplace culture. What caveat is most important?
Answer: Survey response rates and self-selection bias may mean the 73% overstates actual satisfaction.
If dissatisfied employees were less likely to complete the survey, the 73% figure may reflect the responses of more satisfied employees, overestimating the overall satisfaction level.
A health report states that a country's obesity rate increased from 18% to 24% over a decade. Which interpretation is best supported?
Answer: More people are obese now than a decade ago, representing a 6-percentage-point increase.
The data directly shows a 6-percentage-point increase in obesity prevalence — the other options introduce causes, policy judgments, or mathematical errors not supported by the data.
A table shows that Region A has a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:15 while Region B has 1:28. Which conclusion is best supported?
Answer: Region A has more teachers per student than Region B.
The ratio directly indicates how many students each teacher serves — Option B restates this factual comparison without inferring outcomes or causes.