Data Interpretation
Notes

Objective:
Students will know the influence of demographic changes on government policies by gathering data to manage, and convey information using a variety of skills, resources, and technologies.

Notes
1. Demographic: numbers of people in relation to: location, race, religion, gender, income, etc.
2. Data - numbers presented in the form of chart, table, or graph formats.

3. Why students should know how to interpret data?
	A. Numbers or data add credibility.  (Student report card)
	B. Useful information is often presented in chart, table, or graphs.  
C. Chart, table, or graphs allow us it evaluate large amounts of information quickly.
D. Data might show the structure of something, a certain process, or common items in one category. 
	E. Tables usually list data in a specific order. 
	F. Graphs are visual illustrations of data for specific purposes:

4. How long will you live?
A. Life Expectancy: the average number of years that a group of people can live if there is no unexpected illness or accident that causes a large number of deaths.
B. What will be the life expectancy for your generation? (Increase or decrease)
									
5. Where can students find data artifacts for their portfolios?		
Any chart, table, or graph that you can locate in a newspaper, for example sports tables, and money charts.								

Data Interpretation
Template
Explanation: Information is often presented in chart, table, or graph formats. Data in chart form might show the structure of something, a certain process, or common items in one category. Tables usually list data in a specific order. Graphs are visual illustrations of data for specific purposes:
Line graphs ‑ to see changes or trends
Bar graphs ‑ to make comparisons
Circle graphs ‑ to show relationships

Model for Interpretation
What is the title of the chart, table or graph?

What is the purpose of this chart, table, or graph?

What do the labels/headings tell you?

What key information does the data provide?

What is your main conclusion about this data?

How were you able to interpret this chart, table, or graph?

Data Interpretation
Sample

What is the title of the chart, table or graph? 
		The title of this chart is “Life Expectancy for Males and Females,” published by the US Census Bureau, 1990.

What is the purpose of this chart, table, or graph? 	
This chart shows the changes in life expectancies for this century and how long people live.

What do the labels/headings tell you?
Ages are shown on the vertical axis (up and down)
	Decades are shown on the horizontal axis (let to right)
	The key shows which line is men and which line represents women

What key information does the data provide?
The key information that the data provided is the average age when men and women died each decade

What is your main conclusion about this data?
I am able to determine that all people are living longer in the United States, but women live longer than men.

How were you able to interpret this chart, table, or graph?
By working cooperatively, I was able to decipher that the numbers shown in the chart were the average age at which death occurs and calculate the change for each decade.