Analyzing data is an extremely important skill, especially for those of us living in the 21st century where so many decisions--including government decisions--are "data-driven" and are justified using data as evidence. Different types of data require slightly different analytical skills, though. Facts that are numerical in nature may be delivered using a visual and spatial approach. In an online or print article, these "info-graphics" are typically labeled Figure 1, Figure 2, and so on.
To analyze any figure, start by looking for the source of the data displayed there. (Note that the individual or organization who created the figure may be not be the source of the information it displays.) Identify the periods of time when the data was collected; this information may appear within the figure, in its title, or in a caption or label. This information will not always be apparent just by looking at the figure. You might need to look elsewhere on the website (or in the book or magazine) to find out more details about the data.
Use the examples on the tabs below to practice analyzing the data in different types of figures.
Tables
Graphs
Maps
Tables are sometimes called charts. They consist of rows and columns of "numerical facts" that are arranged in a way that shows some sort of relationship among the numbers. If you examine how a table is designed, you will be able to see more easily what the chart can and can’t tell you. First, examine the titles of the columns and rows: What information is contained there? How is the table set up? Does it deliver "raw" data--just the numbers line by line or are there summaries and totals? Is the chart divided into sections?
When you understand the purpose of the table, look for patterns or trends in the data, including possible cause-and-effect relationships. Make some predictions about how the data might impact you or other citizens. It might even help to take this data and put it into a visual, such as a graph.
The table above was created by the U.S. Treasury Department to disclose how much of the national debt is subject to statutory debt limits. Also known as "the debt ceiling," the statutory debt limit is how much money the federal government can borrow by law. When the debt reaches its limit, the U.S. cannot borrow more money until the limit is increased. (You've probably heard television pundits and politicians talk about whether or not we should raise the debt ceiling.)
Use the questions below to analyze the structure of the table and the information it provides.
| When was the data in this table collected or recorded? | November 2017 |
| How much money in total does the U.S. government owe? | $20,590,392,000,000. (The amounts given in the table represent millions.) |
| What phrase might you need to look up and define to understand the data in this chart? | Intragovernmental holdings--it means the amount of money held by special programs within the government itself, such as the fund that pays for Social Security. |
| Does the government owe more money to itself or to the public? | It owes three times as much to the public. |
| How close was the national debt to reaching its limit (the debt ceiling) in November 2017? | It was basically already there--at 100% with zero left to borrow. |
Analyzing graphs is similar to analyzing charts and tables, but graphs rely even more on visual and spatial details. After studying the title of the graph and any information you can find about the publisher and the source of the data, look closely at the graph's legend or key. It will provide important information, such as the scale of the graph, the relationship between the units used and the numbers they represent, and what any colors or textures represent. Also, be sure to look at the labels on the different parts of the graph so you are aware of what is being compared (and what has been left out).
The graphs above were prepared by the Congressional Budget Office in February 2017 to illustrate government spending during the year before, in 2016. The graph doesn’t include a traditional legend; however, if you take time to read each label, you can figure out what the different colors and hues represent.
| What difference is indicated by the colors green and blue? | the difference between mandatory spending and discretionary spending |
| According to the graph, what is the amount of net interest that must be paid in 2017? | $241 Billion |
| The population of the United States is aging--the percentage of citizens over 65 is increasing year after year. Knowing that, what inference can you make about mandatory spending? | Its percentage of the total budget will increase since Social Security and Medicare, two programs that serve senior citizens, are part of the government's mandatory spending. |
Like graphs, informative maps rely on shapes and colors to convey facts and to help readers compare and contrast data. As with a chart, a good first step when reading a map is to figure out what the colors or shades of color represent and how words or numbers are used to label or explain the information in the map.
This map was created using USASpending.gov, a government website designed to provide transparency about how the federal government's money (and therefore taxpayers' money) is spent. See if you can answer these questions about the map.
| What data does this map display? | the amount of federal money spent in each state |
| How can you tell which states received the least amount of federal funding? | by consulting the key, or legend, which shows that the states where less federal money was spent are shaded a lighter color of blue |
| What pattern is illustrated by the map related to the size of states? | The largest states receive the most money from the federal government. |
| Why would smaller states like Virginia and Maryland have relatively high levels of federal spending? | perhaps because many government agencies are located in these states, giving them close proximity to Washington DC |
| Why would South Dakota receive so much less federal money than Texas? | Though both are large states, South Dakota's population is much more sparse than in Texas. |
Using what you learned on this page and the previous page, answer the questions in the section of the Better Know an Issue worksheet labeled Part 2: Making Inferences. Be sure to include links to the data you're analyzing. Then save your work somewhere that you can find it since you'll continue to add to this worksheet.
