Integrated and Data-Based Inquiry Skills
Integrated and Data-Based Inquiry Skills
This domain tests whether you can read unfamiliar data, compare sources, and draw a limited conclusion. You may be asked to calculate rates, interpret population pyramids, evaluate a graph's axis, or decide whether two variables are correlated or causally linked.
Core rules and concepts
- Read the title, units, year, and source before the numbers. A total and a per-person rate answer different questions.
- Percentage change = (new − old) ÷ old × 100. A percentage-point change is a simple difference between two percentages.
- Correlation is not causation. A third factor, reverse causation, or selection bias can explain a link.
- Use primary sources for direct evidence and secondary sources for synthesis, but check both for date, author, and purpose.
- On graphs, check whether the vertical axis starts at zero and whether the scale is truncated or logarithmic.
- In population pyramids, a wide base means many children; a narrow base and wide top mean aging.
Worked example
Region A has a population of 2 million and GDP of 10 billion yen. Region B has 5 million people and GDP of 15 billion yen. Raw GDP makes B look richer, but compare GDP per person: A = 10 billion ÷ 2 million = 5,000 yen; B = 15 billion ÷ 5 million = 3,000 yen. A has the higher average output per person. The conclusion is limited: GDP per person says nothing about income distribution or unpaid work.
Traps that cost marks
Comparing raw totals when the question asks about rates; calling a correlation a cause; ignoring a changed base year; and reading a truncated axis as a real change. State the data's limits explicitly, and never add details that are not in the provided information.