SAT Evaluating Statistical Claims Questions
Whether a study design supports the claim made from it. Random assignment lets you say caused; random sampling lets you generalise.
In short
- Evaluating Statistical Claims is part of Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, about 15% of the scored Math questions: 5 to 7 on every test.
- Math questions from all four areas are mixed in each module and arranged from easiest to hardest.
- Sample bias is the trap Rivie's practice tests set most often in Evaluating Statistical Claims questions.
Common traps
Most common first, from Rivie's ten practice tests.
Sample bias
A study's conclusion only generalizes to the population the sample was drawn from. If the sample is voluntary, geographically narrow, or self-selected, broader claims are unsupported.
The usual mistake: You see a real result in a study and accept any conclusion that uses the same words. The fix is to ask: does the sample actually represent the population the choice claims?
Video lessons
Free on YouTube, picked for this topic.