What is a good first step when evaluating the credibility of statistics in a passage?

Prepare for the Praxis Core Skills for Educators: Reading (5713) exam. Engage with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each accompanied by hints and explanations. Boost your readiness for exam day!

Multiple Choice

What is a good first step when evaluating the credibility of statistics in a passage?

When assessing credibility of statistics in a passage, the first move is to examine how the data were gathered and analyzed. Look at the study’s methodology: who was studied, how they were selected, how measurements were made, what controls or comparison groups were used, and what statistical methods were applied. This groundwork shows whether the findings rest on solid procedures or on potential biases and flaws. Comparing those methods and results with independent sources helps confirm whether the findings are supported beyond a single study. If other credible sources corroborate the results, confidence grows; if there’s disagreement or a lack of transparency, skepticism is warranted. The other options don’t establish credibility as robustly. Simply counting figures doesn’t reveal quality or validity of the data. A confident-sounding tone can mislead, masking weak evidence. Relying on secondary summaries without checking the primary data risks repeating errors or misinterpretations.

When assessing credibility of statistics in a passage, the first move is to examine how the data were gathered and analyzed. Look at the study’s methodology: who was studied, how they were selected, how measurements were made, what controls or comparison groups were used, and what statistical methods were applied. This groundwork shows whether the findings rest on solid procedures or on potential biases and flaws.

Comparing those methods and results with independent sources helps confirm whether the findings are supported beyond a single study. If other credible sources corroborate the results, confidence grows; if there’s disagreement or a lack of transparency, skepticism is warranted.

The other options don’t establish credibility as robustly. Simply counting figures doesn’t reveal quality or validity of the data. A confident-sounding tone can mislead, masking weak evidence. Relying on secondary summaries without checking the primary data risks repeating errors or misinterpretations.

More practice questions