Abstract
This study analyzed American middle school science textbooks to obtain basic knowledge on instructional strategies for helping students understand data interpretation. The analysis revealed not only details of the process skills, defined in Science- A Process Approach, which are needed to interpret data, but also the following findings: (1) The textbooks lead students to distinguish independent and dependent variables in interpreting data. (2) The textbooks enable students to take human measurement errors and inaccurate data into account. (3) They help students to interpret data after answering stepwise questions that provide them with viewpoints helpful for interpreting data. (4) The textbooks lead students to compare data collected, results observed, and results drawn from graphs through hypotheses formulated in advance. (5) They provide steps for reinterpreting data. (6) The textbooks allow students to use their skills of explanation and inference in data interpretation and help students to understand key concepts (scientific concepts). (7) The textbooks position data interpretation as a preparatory step in drawing a conclusion. (8) Data interpretation serves as a preparatory step for grasping key concepts (scientific concepts). Finally, (9) the textbooks enable students to understand the role of data interpretation.
