Writers frequently mean more than they actually say. They give hints and clues in their writing to get their message across. You can find these clues to make inferences. To make inferences is to draw conclusions from the evidence. Different types of evidence help you draw conclusions about an author's deeper meaning. If you follow the right steps, you can make inferences about a text and communicate them in your sentences.
Inference Definition
You make inferences all the time! Let's say you wake up, and it's still dark outside. Your alarm has not gone off yet. You infer from these clues that it is not yet time to get up. You don't even need to look at a clock to know this. When you make inferences, you use clues to make educated guesses. Inferring is like playing detective!
An inference is drawing a conclusion from the evidence. You can think of inferring as making educated guesses based on what you know and what a source tells you.
Drawing Inferences to Write
When writing an essay, you might need to make inferences about your sources. Authors do not always directly say what they mean. Sometimes they use clues to help the reader come to their own conclusions. When writing a synthesis essay, put on your detective hat. What points is the author making without saying so?
To make inferences from a source, you have to find clues. Pay close attention to what the author writes AND what the author does not write. What information did they put there subconsciously? What is the author really trying to say?
Types of Inferences
The main types of inference are inferences drawn from context, tone, and examples. Each type of inference looks to different clues for meaning.
| Type of Inference | Description |
|---|
Inference from context | You can infer meaning from the context of a source. Context is the stuff surrounding a text, like the time, location, and other influences. To determine context, you can look at:- setting (time and/or place it was written)
- situation the author is responding to (an event, issue, or problem influencing the source)
- type of publication (news source, research report, blog post, novel, etc.)
- author background (who are they? what kind of stuff do they write about?)
|
| Inference from tone | You can infer what an author means by looking at their tone. The tone is the attitude an author takes when writing. To determine tone, you can look at:- descriptive words in the source (do the adjectives and adverbs sound sarcastic? angry? impassioned?)
- feelings the source brings up (how does the source make you feel? Does the author seem to intend you to feel that way?)
|
| Inference from examples | You can look for an author's meaning in their examples. Sometimes the examples an author uses show things the author doesn't know how to say. To infer from examples, you can ask yourself: - Why did the author choose these examples?
- What feelings does this example give me?
- What can we learn from these examples that the author does not directly state?
|
Examples of Inferences
Examples of inferences can show you how to infer meaning in different ways, based on context and tone. Here are a few.
Example of Inference from the Context
You are writing an essay comparing arguments about standardized testing in schools. Each author makes compelling points, but you want to understand where each point of view is coming from. You find out a little more about the authors. You find out Author A is a teacher. Author B is a celebrity.
When re-reading both articles, you also notice that Author A's article was published this year. It is fairly new. Author B's article was published ten years ago.
When comparing these arguments, you note how Author B's research might be outdated. You also explain how Author A's position as a teacher affects their point of view. Although Author B makes compelling points, you infer that Author A's arguments are more valid.
Example of Inference from the Tone
You are writing an essay about the impact of social media on children. You find a source that states a lot of facts about social media. However, this source doesn't seem to indicate whether social media is good or bad for children.
Since the author doesn't directly state whether social media is good or bad for children, you look for clues to their opinion. You notice the author sounds sarcastic when discussing the benefits of social media for children. You also notice how angry the author seems when discussing children using social media.
Based on the author's tone, you infer they believe social media is bad for children. You agree with the author. So, you use some of their particularly well-worded quotes to back up your inference.
Fig. 1 - Infer using a writer's tone.
Example of Inference from Examples
You are writing an essay on the history of libraries. You are hoping to learn why libraries treat their books so carefully. After all, they're just books! You find an article discussing how important it is to keep books in the right conditions. This article discusses temperature controls and storage instructions. But it never states why this matters.
You notice the article uses a lot of examples about older books that were handled incorrectly. They all deteriorated and were destroyed! Most importantly, some of these books were very old and rare.
By looking at these examples, you infer why it is essential to treat books so carefully. Books are sensitive, especially old ones. And once old books are lost, they are lost forever.
Steps for Making an Inference
The steps for making an inference are: read the source to identify the genre, come up with a question, identify clues, make an educated guess, and support that guess with evidence. Together, these steps will help you make inferences for your writing.
1. Read the Source and Identify the Genre
To make inferences, it helps to read the source. Read your source carefully and take notes on the following features:
- What is the genre?
- What is the purpose?
- What is the main idea?
- What effect does the author intend to have on the reader?
A genre is a category or type of text. For example, science fiction is a genre of creative writing. Opinion-editorial is a genre of journalistic writing.
Genres are defined by their purpose and features. For example, a news report aims to convey facts and up-to-date information. Therefore, news reports include facts, statistics, and quotes from interviews.
However, another journalistic genre, the opinion-editorial (op-ed), has a different purpose. Its purpose is to share an opinion about a subject.
When reading a source, try to identify the genre, purpose, and intended effects. This will help you draw inferences.
Fig.2 - Understand your source to make a solid inference.
2. Come Up with a Question
What is it you want to know about your source? What information or ideas were you hoping to get from it? Consider this carefully. Then, write out your question.
For instance, in the previous example, you wanted to know whether social media was good or bad for children. You might have asked: Is social media more harmful or helpful for children?
If you don't have a specific question to ask, you can always start with general questions.
Here are some general questions to start with:
- What are the goals of the source?
- What does the author think about ____?
- What is the author trying to imply about my subject?
- What does the author think is important or irrelevant?
- Why does the author think ____ happens/happened?
3. Identify Clues
To answer your question, it's time to put on that detective hat! Read the source closely. Identify clues along the way. Look for the context, tone, or examples used by the author. Do they give any clues to answer your question?
Write down anything you learn from your clues. For instance, in the example above, you might have identified descriptive words that showed the author's tone and written them down.
Track the clues you find. Highlight, underline, circle, and take notes on your source. If your source is online, print it out so you can do this! If the source is something you can't write on, like a library book, use sticky notes to mark important clues. Make them easy to find later.
4. Make an Educated Guess
Try to answer your question. Examine your clues carefully and use them to develop a tentative answer.
For instance, in the above example, your tentative answer might have been: Social media is more harmful than helpful for children.
5. Explain and Support Your Inferences
You have an answer! Now explain how you got there—select evidence (the clues you found) from the source. You can also select evidence from other sources for context.
For instance, in the above example, you might use a direct quote from the source to show the author's tone.
Fig. 3 - A quote tells you who thinks what.
Inference in a Sentence
To write an inference in a sentence, state your point, support it with evidence, and bring it all together. Your sentences should make clear what you have inferred from the text. They should include evidence from the source to show how you made the inference. The connections between the evidence and your inference should be clear.
State the Point
The first thing you need to do is state your point. What did you infer from your source? State it plainly. Make sure it connects to the point you are making in your essay.
Dawn Neeley-Randall believes she offers a unique perspective as a teacher. Being a teacher makes her more concerned with her students than performance data. This makes her points more valid.
Note how this example only states what the writer inferred from the source. It is concise and focused. Try making your statement short and focused as well!
Support with Evidence
Once you have stated your point, you need to back it up. How did you infer this point? Where did you get your inference from? Your reader needs to know to believe you.
Add any evidence that demonstrates your inference. This might mean discussing the context of the source, the author's tone, or quotes that demonstrate what you are talking about. Write out your thoughts on the evidence you used. How did you infer your conclusions?
Neeley-Randall starts her article by stating, "I’m not a celebrity. I’m not a politician. I’m not part of the 1 percent. I don’t own an education testing company. I am just a teacher, and I just want to teach."1
Neeley-Randall is setting herself apart from celebrities, politicians, and others who do not know what teaching is like. She may not be relevant to everyone, but she is important to her students. Her opinion matters because she is "just a teacher."
Note how the writer in the above example used a quote to explain how they made this inference. Even if this wording isn't what the writer uses in their essay, it helps them think it through!
Bring it all Together
You have your inference. You have your evidence. It's time to bring them together in 1-3 sentences! Make sure the connections between your inference and your evidence are clear.
Fig. 4 - Create an inference sandwich.
It helps to create an inference sandwich. The bottom bread is your main inference. The middle ingredients are the evidence. You top it all off with an explanation of the evidence and how it illustrates your inference.
Dawn Neeley-Randall offers a unique and valid perspective as a teacher. She starts her article by stating, "I’m not a celebrity. I’m not a politician. I’m not part of the 1 percent. I don’t own an education testing company. I am just a teacher, and I just want to teach." As a teacher, she understands what students need more than many celebrities and politicians who share their opinions on standardized testing in schools.
Inference - Key Takeaways
- Inference is the process of drawing conclusions from the evidence. You can think of inferring as making educated guesses based on what you know and what a source tells you.
- The main types of inference are inferences drawn from context, tone, and examples.
- The steps for making an inference are: read the source to identify the genre, come up with a question, identify clues, make an educated guess, and support that guess with evidence.
- To write an inference in a sentence, state your point, support it with evidence, and bring it all together.
1 Dawn Neeley-Randall, "Teacher: No longer can I throw my students to the ‘testing wolves,’" The Washington Post, 2014.
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