Presenting and Interpreting Data Against Normative Values
A fitness test gives you a number - but is it any good? Present data in the right graph, read the trend, work out a mean, and judge a result against a normative table.
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From numbers to meaning 📊
In PE you collect a lot of **data**: test scores, times, heart rates. On its own a number like "34 sit-ups" means little. The skill is to **present** it clearly, **interpret** it, and **evaluate** it. The key is comparing a result against **normative data**: published values that tell you whether a score is good, average or poor. This module builds that skill on real PE examples.
The data words 🔑
Four ideas run through this whole topic:
Match each way to present data 🔗
- Table
- Bar chart
- Line graph
- Pie chart
- Organise raw values in neat rows and columns
- Compare separate categories side by side
- Show how a value changes over time
- Show the proportions that make up a whole
Choose the graph 🎯
You want to show how an athlete's heart rate changes minute by minute during a run. Which is best?
- A line graph
- A pie chart
- A bar chart
- A table only
Plot the training data 📈
An interactive activity.
Quantitative and qualitative ⚖️
PE uses two kinds of data, and good analysis often needs both.
Work out the mean 🧮
An interactive activity.
Judging against normative data 📋
A number only becomes useful when you compare it to **normative data**: a published table that rates results by age and sex. You find the score in the table and read off its rating. For example, a table might rate a test as: **40 or more excellent, 30 to 39 good, 20 to 29 average, below 20 poor**. A score of 34 would be rated **good**. The table is always given to you; your job is to read and evaluate it.
Interpret the graph ✅
A line graph shows an athlete's heart rate rising during exercise and falling back afterwards. Select the TWO correct interpretations.
- Heart rate increased during the exercise
- Heart rate recovered after the exercise stopped
- Heart rate stayed exactly the same throughout
- Heart rate was highest while resting
Data skills in words 🧱
Data made of numbers, like a time in seconds, is _____ data, while a coach's written description is _____ data. To show how heart rate changes over time you would draw a _____. To judge a student's fitness score you compare it against a _____ table. A score that is much higher than the average is a _____ for that student.
Read the normative table 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Evaluate a result 🪜
An interactive activity.
Rate the results 🧭
An interactive activity.
Interpret and evaluate ✍️
An interactive activity.