If he is researching certain demography, for instance, he is not expected to ask them certain questions while interacting with them. One interesting difference between inference and observation is that the researcher does not rely on the subjects for any data. After that, the information collected would be subject to some tests to ensure its validity and reliability. If this method were to be applied in research, it has to be done in a systematic manner that requires the collection and recording of information, event, and object in a particular order. Note that any observation that does not serve a formulated research purpose is not scientific. You can also define it as an act of careful engagement in an objective manner that may involve one or more of the following – sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound. A good example of its application is in the field of behavioral science to solve problems. Aside from descriptive research, you would agree that this act is also applicable to humans and animals via their senses in their day-to-day life. Observation is a method used in descriptive research as a primary source of data collection. This is not the case with the latter where the investigator is still in the process of gathering information. In an inference vs observation comparison, there is a need for you to make a decision about the former based on the data, even though they are viewed as secondhand information. They do not necessarily have to be accurate, but they have to make some form of sense based on the information provided. Making a rational inference requires some element of reasoning and a line of thought explaining one’s personal opinion about a topic. An investigator, in this case, is a person carrying out an experiment. If you have been in a science class before, especially the practical aspect, you may remember these words being used at the end of an experiment to express the opinion of the investigator about the experiment. Other words that describe this term include assumption, conclusion, and summary. Inference is defined as any opinion formed based on preexisting facts and observation following a rational format. In this post, we will take a look at what these terms stand for and how they can be distinguished from each other. That is how it is with observation vs inference comparison.īoth of these terms are used in different walks of life, including statistics and science, where they form the basis of certain processes. After some time, you would have your opinion about that thing. When you come across something that is interesting to you, you will probably pay close attention to it, taking in whatever you can about it.
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