What have students learned about reasoning-about-data? (with student comments in quotes)

“It has improved a lot since stats class and the beginning of the semester.” “I've never been quite a data person, so this class has made me a little more confident in interpreting data. I've had problems with hypothesis testing and regression in the past but I feel like I'm getting more used to it now.”

“I have learned how to interpret data, especially really tough data, which I haven't been able to do well in the past.”

“My ability to reason about data has improved drastically through this course. This improvement has llargely been a result of the work we've done to define different forms of analysis and their meaning. Furthermore, I've gotten a lot more comfortable applying the data concepts we talk about in class to the papers I've read for this class and others.“

“My ability to reason data is slowly getting stronger. When articles mention effect size, alpha and beta's I can understand but still check with others when in groups if I am uncertain.”

“I've learned that understanding data isn't as complicated if you just know where to look. As a first year I had no clue what was going on when I read an experimental paper, now I can read through it in 15 minutes and understand nearly the entire piece. I also have learned how to interpret that data and draw conclusion about what it means through our debates and in class discussions.”

“I have learned that data often looks intimidating where it is not and I just need to cut through the weeds and get down to the roots of the study. Knowing that, I feel I can go into a research paper more confidently and productively.”

“I've gained a much better grasp on statistical concepts, and have a lot easier time figuring out what data means after working through so many papers this semester.”

“Critical thinking means critical consumption. In our current digital age, a large part of that consumption involves facts, figures, and claims which are put forth by inherently biased individuals with inherently biased motivations. Being a critical consumer extends far beyond the confines of this classroom --- I don't feel pressure to be able to construct an ANOVA after I leave PSY-225, but I do feel an obligation to understand what these tests mean/do so I can learn to sniff out the BS from the meaningful stuff presented to me in my daily life.”

“Its great now because I can understand statistics and see if authors are hiding something or purposely leaving out stats to make their results look better.” “I have learned how to interpret data and question when I think something is off about it.”

“I have learned to be skeptical about data that is given to me. Even data that is presented in a research paper can be confusing, so sources that are shown on the Internet can be unreliable. But regarding in class data, I have learned about how to analyze significance, error, effect size and so much more. And I think these skills can be applied to many things. Not just statistics but to be able to look at a table and understand it quickly”

“I have learned to look at the bigger picture about data, for example, looking at the effect size, population, length of study, etc. which sometimes might be more important than the actual findings of a study.”

“I learned a lot about how to analyze data. I liked how we (as my education professor says) "interrupted" the system and called out how p values are arbitrary and that the definition of a confidence interval in the textbook is not accurate. I also have a better understanding of what all the numbers mean and how they are related to each other. With this knowledge, I feel more confident in analyzing data critically.”

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