Making Inferences T.C. Norris Winter 2017

Introduction An inference is a conclusion that the writer did not state, but the reader derives based on what the writer did say. It is a kind of logical guess: “The writer said this and this, so his conclusion is probably this.” The reader may also consider his/her own knowledge of the issue in order to infer the writer’s point: “The writer said this and this, and everyone knows this about that issue; therefore, his conclusion is probably this.” Caution! Inferences can be valid or invalid. A valid inference is one that is clearly based on the information presented in the writing—it is possibly, or even probably, true. An inference that is not based on that information is invalid—it is probably not true.

Introduction We all make inferences every day. Most of our decisions are based on inferences. For example, what do you consider when deciding what to eat for breakfast? - Food options - Degree of hunger - How long before you will eat again - Ability of the options to satisfy hunger - What you have a “taste” for Based on these considerations, you infer that one of the options will meet your needs and choose that one.

Example Choose the valid inference based on the following information: A woman gets out of her car carrying a poodle. She enters a building. The sign on the building says “Hawthorne Veterinary Clinic.” In addition to these facts, consider why people usually take pets to the vet. 1 The woman owns the clinic. Invalid – No supporting facts 2 The dog was injured in a car accident. Invalid – No supporting facts 3 The woman was probably taking her dog to see the vet. Valid – Consistent with facts and experience 4 The woman wants to use the telephone. Invalid – No supporting facts

Example It started with a seamstress from Montgomery, Alabama, who refused to give up her seat on a city bus. Her name was Rosa Parks. Every morning, she got on the bus and sat in the back, as black people were required to do. But December 1, 1955, was different. On that day, Parks got on the bus as usual and took her seat in the back. When a white passenger was unable to find a seat in the front of the bus, the driver told Parks to give up her seat. She refused. Parks was arrested for breaking the law; she was tried on December 5 and found guilty. Supporters of equal rights for black people, led by Martin Luther King, Jr., rallied around Parks and staged a boycott of the city bus system that lasted a little more than a year. The Supreme Court’s decision to end segregation on public transportation ended the boycott. The boycott was only the first in a series of nonviolent demonstrations that reached a high point in 1963. King led the march on Washington D.C., where he told those assembled, “I have a dream.” King’s dream was of an America where all people could live in peace and racial harmony. The movement’s persistence led to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed segregation in public facilities and in hiring practices. Two other important pieces of legislation followed: the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. From one woman’s stand against the Montgomery city bus system in 1955 to the enactment of anti-discriminatory laws in the 1960s had been a long ride. Following these legislative victories, the movement and its supporters turned their attention to improving education and eradicating racial prejudice.

Example Choose the valid inference based on the preceding article: Why was the Supreme Court’s decision to end all segregation on public transportation important to Rosa Parks and the demonstrators? 1 Parks could not be arrested again. Invalid – It was based on only one incident. 2 It ended racial discrimination. Invalid – Discrimination still exists. 3 It guaranteed that blacks would be treated fairly in court. Invalid – Limited scope, and fair treatment for blacks is not consistent. 4 It showed that blacks could achieve their goals through nonviolent protests. Valid – The nonviolent protest worked, so others would probably work also.

Caution Because inferences are guesses, they have to be worded carefully. An inference is “probably” the writer’s conclusion, based on what he/she said. However, since the writer did not clearly state the conclusion, the reader has to allow for the possibility that the writer had other conclusions in mind. Therefore, it is good to think of more than one possible conclusion based on what the writer said. “Covering all the bases” will give the reader a better understanding of what the writer said and so of what he/she meant.

example Possible inferences: Your memory operates through three stages to take in, sort, and store information for later use. Encoding is the first stage, during which ideas are processed through your five senses. During the storage stage, information is either discarded or sorted and then retained briefly in short-term memory or transferred into long-term memory, where it may become permanent. Retrieval, the third stage of memory, allows you to recall stored ideas and images. The brain uses a well organized system for turning information into memories. Possible inferences: The brain works systematically in remembering things. Since the brain works automatically in remembering things, we can probably trust our memories. Knowing how memory works may help one develop a more efficient approach to remembering things.

Summary Inferences are conclusions that the writer did not state determined by analyzing what the writer said and considering general knowledge and personal experience logical guesses based on existing evidence Cautions word inferences carefully – “possibly,” “probably” (like induction) be open to more than one possible inference Clarification – Implications and inferences are the same thing. When the writer does not state the conclusion specifically, what he/she does say implies the conclusion. When the reader analyzes what the writer says, he/she infers the conclusion.

Work Cited Kanar, Carol. The Reader's Corner. 3rd ed., Houghton Mifflin, 2008, pp. 22-24.