How would you use a chart or graph in a passage to answer a question about author claims?

How would you use a chart or graph in a passage to answer a question about author claims?

• A. Read the data and ignore the claim
• B. Cite the figure without interpreting
• C. Use the chart only to prove the claim, not to challenge it
• D. Read the data, interpret what it shows about the claim, and cite the figure as evidence that supports or challenges the claim

Answer: (D)

Charts and graphs are tools to test what an author argues by making the data behind the claim visible. The best approach is to read the data, interpret what it shows about the claim, and cite the figure as evidence that supports or challenges the claim. This means looking for trends, comparisons, and exceptions in the graph and connecting what you see to the statement in the passage. If the data align, you can show how it backs the claim; if they don’t, you can point out the discrepancy and use the graph to question the claim. Simply reading the data without connecting it to the claim, or using the chart just to back up the claim without considering what the data actually show, misses the opportunity to evaluate the argument.

Charts and graphs are tools to test what an author argues by making the data behind the claim visible. The best approach is to read the data, interpret what it shows about the claim, and cite the figure as evidence that supports or challenges the claim. This means looking for trends, comparisons, and exceptions in the graph and connecting what you see to the statement in the passage. If the data align, you can show how it backs the claim; if they don’t, you can point out the discrepancy and use the graph to question the claim. Simply reading the data without connecting it to the claim, or using the chart just to back up the claim without considering what the data actually show, misses the opportunity to evaluate the argument.