1. The Effective Reader (Updated Edition) by D. J. Henry
Chapter 11: Inferences
PowerPoint Presentation
by Gretchen Starks-Martin
St. Cloud State University, MN
© 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

2. Inferences
An inference or conclusion is an idea that is suggested by the facts or details in a passage or picture.
A valid inference is a logical conclusion based on evidence.
What are the emotions shown in this picture?

3. Thinking Through Inferences
A common pitfall is to rely too much on opinions and bias.
An effective reader’s goal is to find out what the author is saying, stating, or implying.
An invalid conclusion is a false inference that is not based on the details, or facts in the text or on reasonable thinking.

4. The VALID Approach to Inferences
Step 1: Verify and value the facts.
Step 2: Assess prior knowledge.
Step 3: Learn from the text.
Step 4: Investigate for bias.
Step 5: Detect contradictions.

5. Step 1: Verify and Value the Facts.
Korea has long been known as the “Eastern Land of Courtesy.” When happy, a Korean simply smiles or gently touches the one who brings the happiness. When angry, a Korean simply stares directly at the person, and that person’s humble smile is a powerful apology.
What are the valid inferences?
Koreans are quiet and reserved people.
Koreans show their emotions.
Koreans are afraid of hurting the feelings of other people.

6. Step 1: Verify and Value the Facts.
Korea has long been known as the “Eastern Land of Courtesy.” When happy, a Korean simply smiles or gently touches the one who brings the happiness. When angry, a Korean simply stares directly at the person, and that person’s humble smile is a powerful apology.
What are the valid inferences?
Koreans are quiet and reserved people.
Koreans show their emotions.
Koreans are afraid of hurting the feelings of other people.

7. Step 1: Verify and Value the Facts.
What can be inferred from the picture?
The baseball player feels angry.
The baseball player feels triumphant.
The baseball player feels defeated.

8. Step 2: Assess Prior Knowledge.
What you already know and have experienced can help make accurate inferences.
“I forgot to make a back-up copy of my brain, so everything I learned last semester was lost.” What is being compared?
Compared to a computer
Compared to a friend
Compared to what he knows

9. Step 3: Learn from the Text.
A valid inference is always based on what is stated or implied by the details in the text.
Context clues can unlock the meaning of an author’s use of vocabulary.

10. Inferences & Context Clues
Nikki is not her usual docile self when she is playing basketball; she has more fouls called on her for unnecessary roughness than any of her teammates. “Docile” means:
A. bold
B. meek
C. brave

11. Step 4: Investigate for Bias.
To make a valid inference, we must investigate our response to information for bias.
Our bias can shape our reading of the author’s meaning.
Note biased words and replace them with factual details as you form your conclusions.

12. Step 5: Detect Contradictions.
The effective reader hunts for the most reasonable explanation for something.
The best way to do this is to consider other explanations that could logically contradict your first impression.
In the following list of behaviors, how many explanations for them can you think of?
Slurred words
Poor balance
Slow movement
Fatigue or tiredness

13. Inferences in Creative Expression: Literary Devices
Connotation of Words
The emotional meaning of words
“My home is for sale.”

14. Inferences in Creative Expression: Literary Devices
Metaphor
A direct comparison
“Lies are sinkholes.”
Personification
Giving human traits to things that are not human
“The sun woke slowly.”

15. Inferences in Creative Expression: Literary Devices
Simile
An indirect comparison
“Lies are like sticky webs.”
Symbol
Something that stands for or suggests something else
“A skull and crossbones is a symbol for poison and death.”

16. Inferences in Literature
Words are used to create mental pictures.
“Gene’s skin was pale and hot to the touch; he squeezed his eyes tight against the throbbing in his head, and as he lifted his fingers to press on his temple, his stomach lurched with nausea.”
The inference is that Gene is sick.

17. Inferences and Visual Aids
Pictures, photos, cartoons, and graphs imply ideas in textbooks. What do these imply?

18. Chapter Review
An inference or conclusion is an idea that is suggested by the facts or details in a passage.
An author suggests or implies an idea.
The five steps for making sound inferences are:
Verify and value the facts.
Learn from the text.
Investigate for bias.
Detect contradictions.

19. Practice Complete the following: Chapter Review Applications
Review Tests
Mastery Tests
Remember to complete your scorecard for the Review Tests in this chapter.