Data Analysis and Interpretation | Process of Science | Quiz

Which of the following would NOT be considered raw data?

a.A dictionary definition of a word.
b.A measurement of water temperature on a river gauge.
c.A satellite image of a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.
d.Latitude and longitude coordinates of the location of a certain tree species.

Data analysis can involve many steps, including

a.statistical analysis.
b.filtering.
c.removing bad data.
d.All of these answers

When scientists develop explanations for their observations and data, they

a.shouldn't use their intuition.
b.avoid making assumptions.
c.use their background knowledge.
d.try not to be creative.

Why have different scientists interpreted air temperature data differently?

a.The data aren't very high quality.
b.None of the scientists understands the data.
c.Different scientists analyze the data differently.
d.Many of the interpretations are wrong.

A group of scientists is preparing their work for publication. Although they collected 100 data points, they only used 87 of them in the final analysis. Which of the following approaches should they take in publishing their data?

a.They should publish all the data and describe why they did not use some data.
b.They should publish all the data and let the reader determine why they did not use some data.
c.They should publish only the data included in their analysis and explain that they eliminated some.
d.They should publish only the data included in their analysis and not mention additional data.

If data have been carefully and systematically collected, the analysis will provide only one conclusion and eliminate any disagreement.

a.true
b.false

Scientists might re-analyze data if

a.another scientist wanted to combine the data with his or her own.
b.new data analysis techniques became available.
c.they decided to create a similar study.
d.they wanted to use the data in a journal article.

Study the graph below. The data shown represents atmospheric CO₂ measurements collected over a period of 36 years. Based on this graph, what trend can you identify about CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere?

a.Concentrations of CO₂ in the atmosphere are decreasing.
b.Concentrations of CO₂ in the atmosphere are increasing.
c.Concentrations of CO₂ in the atmosphere fluctuate widely.
d.Concentrations of CO₂ in the atmosphere remain constant.