How does inference differ from observation

Many students find it difficult to differentiate between making observations and making inferences. Learn Just 1 Hour a Day. Get Started Now.

It is key to understand that observations relate to things that can be seen, felt, or heard easily whereas inferences are ideas or guesses that need to be supported by additional evidence. You can, for example, make the observation that geckos have four skinny, short legs.

You could then make the inference that geckos move pretty quickly due to the observed evidence of the way the legs are shaped. Another very useful tool that may provide you with evidence to make correct inferences is Prior Knowledge. You may know from prior knowledge, for example, that birds can fly. You may even think that all birds can fly. It is important, however, to question your prior knowledge because it could not necessarily be true.

Ostriches, for example, are birds that cannot fly. This is actually an important part of scientific processes and it is key that you understand the differences between making an observation and an inference clearly so you can attain good scores on the GED exam. Now we see even more footprints. What can we observe and infer here?

Be careful not to jump to conclusions about what might have happened here, but you can form multiple hypotheses. Ask :. Does the pattern of footprints indicate changes in speed, direction, or anything else for each creature? What could the footprints suggest about what the creatures or the landscape looked like, and how they may have interacted, if at all? Finally, we yet more footprints even farther to the right but it's pretty different.

Make additional observations and then as many inferences as you can that you think are reasonable. This project was supported by Science Sandbox, a Simons Foundation initiative dedicated to engaging everyone with the process of science.

SciGen Teacher Dashboard. Science Thinking. Models in Science. Designing a Fair Test. Exploring a Hypothesis. Investigating a Question. Units of Measure. Measuring Up Metric. The Power of Per. Potential and Kinetic Energy. Work and Machines.

Power to the People. Making Waves. Waves Traveling the Universe. Life Science. In statistics, inference involves two things i. Besides the differences mentioned above, observation and inferences are interrelated to each other in the sense that observation is what we notice when something takes place while inference is what we deduce on the basis of observations. In this way, the inference is often understood as an interpretation of what is being observed.

I just discovered Key Differences a few moments ago and have become acquainted with a great website! I wish more people would recognize and accept the difference. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Key Differences Between Observation and Inference The difference between observation and inference can be drawn clearly on the following grounds: The act of carefully watching or examining a person or object when something is happening is known as an observation.

An act of deriving rational conclusion from known facts or circumstances is called inference. Observation is objective while inference is subjective. Observation is what one perceives or notices.

On the other hand, the inference is an explanation or assumption of what one has perceived or seen. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Written by : Prabhat S. User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages. Summary 1. Inference is an assumption made from observation.

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