OBSERVATIONS AND INFERENCES
Ex: color, taste, smell, size, shape
Ex: temperature, mass, length, anything with numbers
A good scientist becomes curious after making observations, generating questions that can be tested to explain the observations.
The same observations can lead to different inferences, depending on the scientists’ perspectives.
For example, if you notice your plant’s leaves are turning brown, you don’t just say, “Huh. Brown leaves.” You automatically jump to the inference that your plant is dying and wonder what you should do to help it live. You don’t SEE it die; you SEE a color change and INFER an outcome.
For each example decide if the observation is Qualitative (QL) or Quantitative (QNT).
1. The candy was sour
2. The snake was 2 m wide
3. The flower is red
4. The slug was slimy
5. The volume was turned up to level 8
6. The mass of the beaker is 122 g
7. My fingernail is 2 cm long
8. He has 3 sisters
9. It made a loud popping sound
10. The surface feels rough
OBSERVATION AND INFERENCE PRACTICE
3 Observations:
3 possible Inferences:
3 Questions you now have:
3 Observations:
3 possible Inferences:
3 Questions you now have:
***In your own words, explain the difference between observations and inferences.