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The Bottom Line

InspireData 1.5 helps students turn a collection of facts and figures into something meaningful. Using a straightforward, spreadsheet-style interface, students can input data on any topic, and then use InspireData’s graphing tools to turn the data into Venn, bar, pie, axis, or stack plots.

In addition to inputting or importing data, students can use InspireData 1.5’s web-based data tools to gather information from a broad range of sources.

Although it was designed for students in grades 4 through 12, InspireData 1.5 is equally useful for adults who need to gather, analyze, and graph data.

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Pros

• Easy to use.
• Develops analytical, critical thinking, and creative skills.
• Web-based data collection capabilities.
• 30-day demo available.

Cons

• Limited import options.
• Limited export options.
• A little pricey for the target age group.

Description

• Mac and Windows versions available
• 30-day trial version available for downloading
• Includes examples and classroom projects
• Additional content available online
• Can create Venn, pie, axis, bar, and stack plots
• Can create slideshows and web-based questionnaires
• Includes 100+ data sets in more than a dozen categories
• Includes 100+ icons; you can also create your own

Guide Review - InspireData 1.5

InspireData 1.5 makes it easy translate almost any kind of text-based data into visual form. But InspireData is more than just a data conversion program. Its real purpose is to help students understand how myriad pieces of data relate to each other.

InspireData 1.5 includes more than 100 data sets in a wide variety of topics, from school subjects, such as science, math, and social studies, to general-interest topics, such as pets, sports, music, and roller coasters. These pre-made data sets can provide insights into a subject, such as which films were the most successful overall or by category.

You can create your own data sets by importing comma- or tab-separated files from database or spreadsheet software programs, or input the data manually. InspireData 1.5 has a built-in spreadsheet-style application called Tables that you can use to import or enter data. With the click of an icon, you can switch between Table View, where you import or enter data, and Plot View, where you can turn the data into one of several possible styles of plots.

You can also gather data from surveys. In addition to setting up table-based surveys, where local participants can enter data directly into tables, you can use InspireData 1.5 to publish a survey as a web page, which is then hosted on Inspiration Software’s web site for selected participants to complete. When the e-survey is complete, you can download the data directly into InspireData for analysis.

Once you’ve gathered all of your data, you can use Inspire Data 1.5’s charting tools to explore relationships between the data. You can manipulate each type of plot onscreen, and view the results immediately. You can also save plots in JPG, GIF, or PNG format, for use in presentation programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple Keynote, or word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word or Apple Pages.

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