This paper is a pilot study for a major investigation into children's understanding of statistical graphics, using a written test paper incorporating a hierarchy of assumed question difficulty. Four provisional levels of understanding of statistical graphics are established from the test paper results. This might permit formulation of recommendations for development of approaches encouraging better understanding of statistical graphics in pupils. The four provisional levels would then be used as a basis for a main investigation with wider scope subject to the adjustments to the sample, test paper, and administration recommended in the conclusions to this pilot study paper. It seems particularly important to put an unambiguous carefully structured test paper to a more stringently selected and representative sample, with more computer support for data analysis.
The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education