Interpreting data requires the data be which of the following?

• A. Random and representative of the population
• B. Always $\mathrm{normally} \mathrm{distributed}$
• C. Collected only from a single individual
• D. Measured in units of $\mathrm{probability}$

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the importance of data quality in statistical analysis. For data to be meaningful and interpretable, it must accurately reflect the population or phenomenon being studied.
2. Recognize that data should be random, meaning each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected. This helps avoid bias and ensures the sample is not systematically different from the population.
3. Know that data must be representative of the population, which means the sample should capture the characteristics of the entire population so conclusions can be generalized.
4. Evaluate the other options: data does not always need to be normally distributed, as many statistical methods can handle different distributions or use non-parametric approaches.
5. Also, data should not be collected from only a single individual if the goal is to understand a population, and data itself is not measured in units of probability; probability is a measure related to events, not the data units.