Again, note how the 'because' portion of the inference is where I incorporated my observations and prior knowledge.īelow are example sentences to help you write your own scientific inferences: I can infer that the object in the image is a winged insect using 'eyespot mimicry' because of the symmetrical patterns and colors, concentric circles, and soft appearance. Intelligence is used, to make inferences. Inference gives validity to observed data. Without observation, there won’t be any inference. Let's go back to our first picture example. Observation is receiving data from the external environment while inference is making a conclusion using those observed information. Without this important 'because', I would not be fully supporting my logical conclusion (inference). 'Based on my observations of the tomatoes, I can infer that the tomatoes are fresh because they are bright red, round, and shiny, and have a mass of 15.5 grams, which means that the tomatoes have a reasonably high water content.' In this example inference sentence, note how I incorporated both qualitative observations, quantitative observations, and prior knowledge in the 'because' portion of the sentence. On the other hand, an inference is a logical conclusion based on observations and prior knowledge. In other words, what can we actually see, smell, taste, touch, hear, and measure in the picture? There are two sets of concentric circles, the colors of burnt red, orange, white, and varying shades of brown, and symmetrical patterns and colors. In reality, an observation is any information you can gather using the five senses and scientific instruments and tools. They will also have opportunities to apply what they have learned. Again, observations are information we gather directly through our five senses. Inferences are often changed when new observations are made. They are based on your past experiences and prior knowledge. By using the resources listed below, students will learn about the difference between observations and inferences. INFERENCES Inferences Inferences are an explanation for an observation you have made. We will then look into inferences, and how we can use our observations in order to make scientific inferences. In scientific study, both observations and inferences are important. In this blog post, we will first learn about observations, the types of observations, and the relationship between observations and data. However, as scientists, it is important that we understand the difference between what we observe, and what we infer. It is a very tempting response to the question, 'What do you observe?'. If your instinct was to try to guess what was 'in' the image, you are not alone. Check out a picture of the moth taken from a different perspective here.

In reality, the image is a picture of a South African moth using 'eye-spo t mimicry'. What do you observe? A pair of eyes? A nose? A raccoon?

Observation vs inference