In a scientific report, to 'analyze' data means to

• A. Guess based on intuition
• B. Examine data methodically to identify patterns, relationships, or conclusions.
• C. Exclude data
• D. Present results without methods

Answer: (B)

Analyzing data means examining the information you collected in a careful, methodical way to understand what the numbers show and what they imply for the question you’re investigating. It involves looking for patterns, trends, and relationships, then drawing conclusions that are supported by the evidence in the data. Analysis goes beyond just listing results; it interprets them, often using comparisons, calculations, graphs, or basic tests to show how the data answers the question.

This stands in contrast to guessing based on intuition, which doesn’t rely on the data. It also isn’t about excluding data or presenting results without describing how the data were analyzed, because those approaches fail to show how the conclusions were reached.