Statistical Enquiry Cycle: D Interpretation of results — Edexcel A-Level Statistics
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Statistical Enquiry Cycle: D Interpretation of results explained
In the Interpretation stage of the statistical enquiry cycle, you must read what diagrams and numerical measures actually say about the data.
Read the full explanation
Analysing means breaking a display or calculation into its components: for a histogram, note the modal class, spread and any skew; for a scatter diagram, judge direction, strength and possible outliers; for a box plot, compare medians and interquartile ranges. Interpreting means attaching meaning in context: a mean of 12.4 minutes describes typical waiting time, while a large standard deviation signals inconsistent service. You also judge whether a measure suits the data, for example using the median when outliers are present, and whether a diagram is drawn with a misleading scale. Always connect each reading to the original question rather than describing the graph in isolation.
Your focus
- Read a given diagram or set of measures and state the relevant feature or value accurately.
- Explain what that feature or value indicates about the data in the context of the investigation.
- Evaluate whether the diagram or measure used is appropriate for the data and the question asked.
Statistical Enquiry Cycle: D Interpretation of results exam tips
Marking Points
- Identifies the specific feature of the diagram or the value of the measure being asked about, such as a modal class, median, quartile or correlation direction.
- Reads numerical measures accurately from the given output, including correct units and appropriate rounding.
- Explains what the diagram or measure indicates about the data in the context of the investigation, not just what it looks like.
- Judges whether the chosen diagram or measure is appropriate for the data type and distribution, for example median rather than mean when outliers are present.
- Links the interpretation back to the original question or hypothesis being investigated.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Underline the command word and the context in the question so your interpretation answers the actual enquiry, not a generic description.
- 💡Quote the key value or feature briefly, then spend most of your answer explaining its meaning in context.
- 💡Check units and rounding of any measure you cite, and make sure a comparison names both groups or conditions.
Common Mistakes
- Describing the appearance of a diagram without interpreting it: the correction is to state what the feature means for the variable in context.
- Reading a value from the wrong axis or scale: the correction is to check axis labels, units and any non-zero starting point before quoting a figure.
- Treating a measure as meaningful without checking suitability: the correction is to consider outliers, skew and data type before relying on a mean or standard deviation.