What does a high standard deviation indicate about a dataset?

A high standard deviation indicates that the scores in a dataset are widely spread out from the mean. This means there is a large variation in the data points; some scores may be significantly higher or lower than the average. A high standard deviation provides insight into the variability within the dataset, suggesting that the individual scores do not cluster closely around the mean.

In contrast, a low standard deviation would indicate that most of the data points are close to the mean, which is not the case here. The choices that suggest a dataset is normally distributed or related to the mode do not directly address the concept of spread as indicated by standard deviation. Thus, the option that emphasizes the wide dispersion of scores correctly reflects the significance of a high standard deviation in understanding the dataset's characteristics.