This slide displays the Quick Start Select Criteria screen where you select criteria for your query. Criteria titles are highlighted in synchronization with audio.
All queries access data for five specific criteria: subject, grade, jurisdiction, variable and assessment year. Each list box or radio button set selects a different criterion. Although Quick Start is shown here, the same procedure applies in Advanced Mode.
This slide displays an animation of criteria being selected on the Select Criteria screen. The cursor moves and selects Reading under subject and 8 under Grade. The screen then fades to Advanced Select Criteria screen where no selections are made, showing empty jurisdiction and variables listboxes.
Select criteria by clicking them. Each new selection will be highlighted. Click nodes to expose jurisdictions for selection.
You can make selections in any order in Quick Start. In Advanced Mode you must select Subject and Grade first.
This slide displays the Quick Start Select Criteria screen as it fades into view. The cursor moves and selects Alabama under Jurisdiction and Race/ethnicity as reported by student under Variables. The Assessment Year label is then highlighted in conjunction with audio.
It's usually best to pick Subject and Grade before Jurisdiction and Variables. This avoids potentially confusing data incompatibilities from arising. Select Assessment Year at any time.
The cursor moves and selects National and one additional state under Jurisdictions. Then it moves and selects Gender under Variables.
Select multiple jurisdictions and variables by additional clicks. You may select as many jurisdictions and variables as are available, including different categories of jurisdictions and variables.
The cursor de-selects Race, then moves and de-selects Georgia under Jurisdictions."Gender", "National" and "Alabama" remain selected.
Undo selections by clicking them again. The criteria will lose their highlighting.
The cursor moves to an incompatible variable, and unsuccessfully tries to select it. Next, the cursor moves to a selected variable, de-selects it, freeing the incompatible variable, then returns to the once incompatible variable and selects it.
The NAEP Data Explorer lists criteria for many assessments side by side. However, the tool can only query criteria from one assessment at a time. As you select criteria, incompatible variables and jurisdictions will turn gray. Incompatible criteria cannot be selected. You can reverse this by deselecting other criteria. Sometimes this is a trial-and-error process.
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