O & i presentation

Observationvs.

Inference

and what’s the difference?

Observe this!

-Using your 5 senses to gather information about your surroundings

What you “see” happening

Observation

-A conclusion based on evidence-An “educated guess”

What you “think” is happening

Inference

“Notice all the computations, theoretical scribblings, and lab equipment, Norm….Yes, curiosity killed these cats.”

Field Trip!The class is on a field trip to a fossil bed in Alberta, Canada. While exploring the site, you discover a slab of rock covered with interesting impressions. The teacher invites the class to make observations and inferences about the imprints…

-Scientific knowledge is a combination of observation and inference.

-Inferences are tentative.

-As you get new data, your inferences can change.

Why is this important in Science?