written by Rebecca Rosenblatt

I present results from a two-year study classifying student difficulties reasoning with graphed data. I show large differences in student ability to use certain graphed data. Namely, students struggle more with graphs in which the variables have no relation or an unknown relationship than with typical graphs where the data shows a relationship. I expand on this finding and present evidence for three deep issues with graphical/data-driven reasoning. First, many students incorrectly assume there must be dependence between the axes of any graph whether or not the data suggests a relation and whether or not it was a controlled experiment. Second, students have issues using a legend to infer information about a third variable. Third, by comparing pictorial reasoning responses to graphical ones, it is evident that students have deeper logical reasoning issues such as, "if x doesn't change and y does, than x doesn't affect y."

• Download PERC14_Rosenblatt.pdf - 1545kb Adobe PDF Document

Last Modified April 28, 2015

This file is included in the full-text index.