Chapter 6: Statistics: Assessing Success in the Inference Process

Mathematics and science, taught and researched correctly, transcend and traverse the boundaries between language, mathematical, and analytical skills. The evidence for this statement consists of the dreaded, so-called “word problems.” Too often, teachers and students can try to avoid such “applications” and stay with the routine, or even rote, selection of material. Statistics cross all sorts of boundaries, and usually in all problems if they are carried out with authenticity. Consequently, identifying specific areas of weakness and repairing them is more complicated and very critical. The source of the weakness can be within a skill area, within the intersection between content areas, or in the translation of information from one skill area into another skill area. The goal of this chapter is to propose a multistep process directing assessment choices. A brief survey of a variety of assessment tools is also provided in this chapter.