Chapter Two: How to Answer Data-Based Questions

Chapter Objective & TEKS Objective ▫Applying critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources to generate summaries supported by evidence. TEKS ▫Geography – 7 (C) ▫Social Studies Skills – 21, 21 (A), 22 (A), 22 (B)

Tables A table is an arrangement of information in columns and rows.

Steps to Understanding a Table Look at the Title: ▫The title of the table describes what it shows. Examine the Categories: ▫Each column in the table represents a category in the headings across the top. Drawing Conclusions from the Data: ▫By examining a table, it is often possible to identify a trend or draw a conclusion.

Bar Graphs A bar graph is a chart made of parallel bars with different lengths.

Steps to Understanding a Bar Graph Look at the Title: ▫The title tells you what the bar graph shows. Examine the Bars or Legend: ▫Usually the bars of the graph will be labeled. If not, then a legend will tell you what each bar represents. Look at the Vertical & Horizontal Axis: ▫The horizontal axis runs along the bottom of the bar graph. If often identifies what the bars represent. ▫The vertical axis runs along the left-hand side of the graph. It measures the length of the bars.

Line Graphs A line graph is a chart composed of a series of points connected in a line.

Steps to Understanding a Line Graph Look at the Title: ▫The title identifies the topic. Legend: ▫A line graph may have several lines. A legend often identifies each line. Look at the Vertical & Horizontal Axis: ▫Horizontal Axis – The horizontal axis runs along the bottom of the line graph. ▫Vertical Axis – The vertical axis runs along the left- side of the graph. Check for Trends: ▫Sometimes a line graph will reveal a trend. A trend is the general direction in which things are moving.

Circle Graphs A circle graph, sometimes referred to as a pie chart, is a circle divided into sections or slices of different sizes.

Steps to Understanding a Circle Graph Look at the Title: ▫The title tells you what the graph is about. Examine the Legend: ▫Sometimes a circle graph will have a legend to indicate what each slice represents. Look at the Slices: ▫Each slice shows the size of something in relation to the whole circle.

Photographs Photographs show geographers what other places look like. An aerial photograph is a picture taken from an airplane or a satellite in outer space. Aerial photographs are especially useful to geographers because they can show the surface features of a large area, almost like a map.

Steps to Understanding a Photograph Look at the Title or Caption: ▫The title or caption identifies what the photograph shows. Consider the Background: ▫Like borders or other items, added by cartographers or map makers.

Diagrams A diagram is a simplified picture that shows how several things are related or how the different parts of something work.

Steps to Understanding a Diagram Look at the Title: ▫The title tells you what the diagram shows. Examine the Legend: ▫The legend then tells what each symbol represents. Studying the Diagram: ▫What is the diagram attempting to show, draw a conclusion.

Primary Sources These are original records about a place or event. They include eyewitness reports, traveler’s journals, official records, letters sent by people involved in an event, diaries, and photographs. The can include artifacts, things people made and used.

Secondary Sources These are the later writings and interpretations of geographers and other writers. Secondary sources like textbooks and articles often provide convenient summaries of the information found in primary sources.

Summarizing A summary is a short restatement of a text. To understand a written document, it is often helpful to summarize it.

Practice Questions