The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that determines a number of non-spurious arcs associated with a learned graphical model. The system can include devices and mechanisms that utilize learning algorithms and datasets to generate learned graphical models and graphical models associated with null permutations of the datasets, ascertaining the average number of arcs associated with the graphical models associated with null permutations of the datasets, enumerating the total number of arcs affiliated with the learned graphical model, and presenting a ratio of the average number of arcs to the total number of arcs, the ratio indicative of the number of non-spurious arcs associated the learned graphical model.