Quantitative Evidence Question Strategies for Reading and Writing

Quantitative evidence questions require the integration of reading comprehension with the interpretation of infographics, such as tables and graphs.
The primary goal is to select data from the provided infographic that effectively supports or exemplifies the argument presented in the passage.

Initial Skim: Briefly examine the infographic to identify titles, units of measurement, labels, and legends.
Identify the Argument: Pinpoint the central claim made in the short passage to determine what specific evidence is necessary.
Create a Test Phrase: Boil the argument down to a brief phrase to act as a benchmark for evaluating answer choices.
Evaluate Choices: Test each option against the generated test phrase. Only one choice will accurately use the data to support the argument.

Context: Georgia Tech roboticists Daira Bryant and Ayanna Howard, and ethicist Jason Borenstein, studied how people perceive the competence of robots in different jobs.
Occupations Tested: TV news anchor, teacher, firefighter, surgeon, and tour guide.
The Argument: Evaluations of robot competence vary widely depending on the specific occupation being considered.
Test Phrase: "A wide swing depending on the job."
Evidence Selection:
- Choice D was correct because it compared two jobs with a significant data gap: $82\%$ likely for tour guides versus $16\%$ likely for surgeons.
- Ineffective choices provided data on only one profession ( $47\%$ likely vs. $37\%$ unlikely for teachers) or showed no difference between occupations ( $9\%$ neutral for both TV news anchors and surgeons).

Find the Story: Treat data as a narrative showing similarities, differences, or trends. The correct answer will tell the same story as the passage.
Be Flexible: Multiple combinations of data points can often support the same claim. Do not look for one specific set of numbers; instead, be open to any data that reinforces the argument.