Graph reading abilities of thirteen-year-olds

Abstract

To determine how well graph reading skills are applied in social studies, science, and consumer mathematics, seventh grade students were asked to answer multiple-choice graph reading, interpretation, and summarization questions when graphs were embedded in a text and when they were seen in isolation. Results favored isolated presentation of graphs for reading and interpretation items, but no differences were foundfor summarization items. Reading comprehension and mathematics computation scores were correlated with responses to the three types of questions and revealed weak relationships. High and low scorers and two randomly selected groups were interviewed and asked to explain how answers were obtained. They were also asked to identify graphs as easy or difficult and to indicate where they had learned about graphs, if they liked graphs, and if they ignored them or paid attention to them when reading a textbook. The students identified a number of graph readability and difficulty factors affecting their understanding of graphs. They also reported that graphs increase the difficulty of reading and many depend upon their teachers to explain the graphs.