Turning Field Data Into an Argument · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Making honest arguments from field data

Geography · People & Environments · ages 14-16
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Scatter dots hug a rising line tightly. What does that mean?

    • A weak link
    • No link at all
    • A strong rising link

  2. You measured pebble sizes in groups. Which graph fits?

    • A histogram of the spread
    • A clock face
    • A word cloud

  3. Two things rising together always proves one caused the other.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. How should a fieldwork conclusion be worded?

    • As a flat fact for all places
    • With doubt attached, for this sample and site
    • As a guess with no data

  5. You counted footfall each hour till closing. Which form fits?

    • A bar chart of names
    • A time series of change
    • A pie of pebbles

  6. A loose cloud of dots still earns a bold trend line.

    Circle one:   True   False

  7. A chart hides its sample size and shouts a town wide fact. What is wrong?

    • The colours are too dull
    • It claims more than its sample allows
    • It uses a histogram

  8. One sunny day of counts at one shop: what can you claim?

    • Only what that corner on that day shows
    • The habits of the whole town
    • The climate of the county
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Making honest arguments from field data W1-mt_A1qZ6jJ472-s1

  1. A strong rising link · Tight dots near a rising line shout a strong link.
  2. A histogram of the spread · Grouped measures need the shape of the spread, which is histogram work.
  3. False · Rising together never proves cause. Summer can drive both sides alone.
  4. With doubt attached, for this sample and site · Fieldwork conclusions wear doubt openly. Flat facts belong to censuses.
  5. A time series of change · Hour by hour counts are change through time, which is time series ground.
  6. False · Loose clouds earn no trend. The wobble is data too.
  7. It claims more than its sample allows · A chart hiding its sample size is not an answer. Scope must match data.
  8. Only what that corner on that day shows · One shop on one day is a megaphone for one corner. Scope the claim to fit.
Worksheet · LightMySky