Deeper reading: evidence and inference
| Site: | Saylor Academy |
| Course: | Demo Course 101 |
| Book: | Deeper reading: evidence and inference |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 4:09 PM |
Description
A short two-chapter companion to the core concepts section.
1. The difference between observation and inference
Observation is what you see. Inference is what you think it means. A single observation can support many inferences. Good scientists hold their inferences loosely until enough evidence converges.
2. How much evidence is enough?
There is no universal answer, but three criteria help. First, does the evidence come from multiple independent sources? Second, is it consistent across time? Third, have you actively looked for counter-evidence?