INFERENCES Gathering clues and reading between the lines Reaching conclusions on the basis of evidence and reasoning “author and me” questions Inference is the act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true

The Purpose of Making Inferences To conclude what has been presented or described, in other words to find the essence of reading

Part of Inferences Inferring missing information Inferring topics for main ideas Making inferences from stories

Inferring missing information Associated with drawing conclusions from a lack of information which formed

Inferring topics for main ideas This strategy provides a model of explicit instruction for teaching students the concept of main idea and how to identify the main idea in a text when it is inferred and not directly stated. Students begin by learning the definition of main idea and then apply this definition to infer the main idea in sentences and short texts. The ability to identify the main idea in a text whether it is stated directly or inferred is critical for students to gain meaning when reading

Making inferences from stories Figure out how sentences and paragraphs relate Connect supporting details to main ideas Match pronouns to antecedents Understand the function of allusions Determine how visual aids contribute to the author's message

How to Make Inferences There are several ways to help you draw conclusions from what an author may be implying: General sense Examples Antonyms and Contrasts

General Sense The meaning of a word may be implied by the general sense of its context, as the meaning of the word incarcerated is implied in the following sentence: Murderers are usually incarcerated for longer periods of time than robbers. You may infer the meaning of incarcerated by answering the question “What usually happens to those found guilty of murder or robbery?”

Examples When the meaning of the word is not implied by the general sense of its context, it may be implied by examples. For instance, Those who enjoy belonging to clubs, going to parties, and inviting friends often to their homes for dinner are gregarious. You may infer the meaning of gregarious by answering the question "What word or words describe people who belong to clubs, go to parties a lot, and often invite friends over to their homes for dinner?"