A: Analyze and Interpret the Data Analyze and Interpret the Data

In this step you will look at each figure in the article and analyze it to determine whether it supports the hypothesis.

Abstract representation of CREATES analysis template.

Analyze the Figures

“For me, this step was very helpful because when I read papers before, I’d never actually read the figures. Reading the figures gave me a much better understanding of the paper.” - a CREATES student

  1. Fill out the CREATES analysis template: Choose an analysis template below based on the types of experiments you identified in the previous step and fill it out for your figure. The templates are annotated with tips and examples to help guide your answers!
  2. Repeat for each figure: For each figure in the paper, make a new copy of the analysis template and fill it out. You can also write your own analysis on a separate sheet of paper instead of using the template.

What makes a successful analysis? Real student analyses

Example 1: Microbial Transfer Therapy (Experimental Study)

Link to Google Doc

Example 2: Temperate Phages (Free Response)

Link to Google Doc

More Examples

See below for some analysis examples created by two different students for the same scientific article (linked for your reference).

Moon et al. 2020

Analysis example
Analysis example

Tsao et al. 2018

Analysis example
Analysis example

Wang et al. 2019

Analysis example
Analysis example

Wright et al. 2019

Analysis example
Analysis example

Yuan et al. 2019

Analysis example
Analysis example

Give it a try!

Tips & Strategies

  • It may be helpful to refer to your annotated figures from R.
  • You can be flexible when carrying out your analysis. The templates are especially useful for figures with panels, but may not be helpful for other types of figures. Choose a template that works for your study, or create your own analysis!

Ready?

Now you are ready to analyze the data from the paper! When you finish, use this checklist to double-check your work:

Identify which template to use for each experiment
Fill out the CREATES Analysis Template for each experiment