DRAWING INFERENCES

Making Conclusions From Judgments

Based on Reading and Observations
What is an ‘inference’?
- An educated guess
> based on available
information
Inferring from reading
- Identifying the main idea Detecting
- Recognizing the details > the hidden
- ‘Reading between the lines’ meaning
in a text
Fact
> Statement of the way things actually are
> Observable and verifiable
FACT vs INFERENCE
Inference
> May not be so easily detectable
> Usually derived from available facts
> Sometimes based on previous
knowledge or experience
Examples of Facts
1. The sun rises in the east.
> based on observation
2. Approximately 5% of the air we breathe is
oxygen. > verifiable from a science textbook
3. Saint John Paul II was born Karol Jozef
Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland on May 18, 1920.
> based on actual events (i.e., adopted the name ‘John
Paul’ when he became pope in 1978; was declared saint
in 2014)
 The policeman shot the snatcher.
FACT 1. There is a policeman.
FACT 2. There is a snatcher.
INF 3. The snatcher is dead.
INF 4. The victim alerted the policeman.
FACT 5. There is a gun.
FACT 6. The policeman fired a shot.
INF 7. The policeman was shot.
INF 8. Bystanders were hurt.
INF 9. A crowd gathered around the scene of the
INF crime.
10. The policeman fulfilled his duty well.
IMPORTANT!
Be careful when inferring ideas from reading
to avoid jumping into assumptive, inaccurate,
unnecessary, and inappropriate conclusions.
 How do you differentiate?
> Use available clues provided in the text
ACCURATE vs INACCURATE
> Focus on what is probable and not
INFERENCES
just what is possible
 Your classmate gave
you this post-it note
from your teacher. It
reads ―
What can you infer from this
message?
A. Your teacher is angry with you.
B. Your teacher wants to ask a favor.
C. Your teacher needs to speak with you.
D. Your teacher wants you to retake an exam.
Tips on reading a text meaningfully
to make accurate inferences
1. Get the literal meaning first.
2. Understand the relationships of the details
or facts given.
3. Examine for unusual details that serve as
clues.
4. Select the probably accurate inference.
5. Substantiate or verify inference by relating it
to the evidence in the text.
REMEMBER!

It is not enough that we can identify facts;

we should also be able to appreciate what these
facts mean to us by establishing what, why, and
how they are important to us.