Skills Bank 4: Writing Objectively
Week 11
INFERENCE VS OBJECTIVE OBSERVATION
Read the slideshow called Writing Objectively carefully and then return to this assignment sheet.
Analyzing Assumptions and Biases
Knowledge about behaviour must, in so far as possible, be based on objective observation, evidence, and data. Assumptions and inferences should be avoided, and great care should be taken to limit one’s conclusions about behaviour to what we have observed rather than forming interpretations of what we have observed. If observers were asked to record what they had seen while watching others, statements such as the ones that follow might have been recorded.
Instructions:
- Put an (O) by each statement that you believe is objective and put an (I) by each statement which includes any inference or interpretation.
- When you are finished this, go back and review each one of the statements you decided was an inference. Underneath each sentence that you have labeled an inference, rewrite it so that it is objective. You will need to delete parts of the statement and, in some cases, invent specific observations.
- Upload this document to the dropbox for Skills Bank 4.
__O___ 1. The man in the drugstore fell to the floor clutching his chest, and the other customers turned in his direction when he screamed.
__I___ 2. The pigeon which had been pecking at the disk was distracted by the sound of the door slamming, and it hesitated while it considered whether to keep pecking or not.
The pigeon which had been pecking at the disk stopped at the sound of the door slamming and waited a bit before it began pecking again.
__I___ 3. When the dinner with her husband’s parents was over, she was so anxious to leave and go home that she left her coat behind.
When the dinner with her husband’s parents was over, she left to go home and left her coat behind.
__O___ 4. The old man looked both ways several times before he stepped off the curb and slowly walked across the street.
__I___ 5. Shoppers in the mall assumed that the man talking loudly to himself was crazy, so they walked quickly around him, avoiding eye contact.
Shoppers in the mall walked quickly around him, avoiding eye contact with the man talking loudly to himself.
__O___ 6. He beeped the horn several times in rapid succession, turned into the oncoming lane, and sped around the stalled car.
__O___ 7. During the lecture, Daren stared at the ceiling for minutes at a time, took no notes, and looked at the clock twelve times.
__O___ 8. The tears began to moisten Karen’s cheeks when Susan mentioned the death of Karen’s recently deceased grandmother.
__O___ 9. When Ken spoke loudly to Barbie about seeing her with another man, she paced back and forth with her arms folded and her head down.
__I___10. Even though Jennifer didn’t say anything, I could tell by her expression that she was having a good time.
Even though Jennifer didn’t say anything, she kept on smiling and laughing all night.
__O___11. Chad drank his beer slowly, stopping every two or three sips to pop some peanuts in his mouth, but never said a word to anyone around him.
__O___12. Melanie cleared her throat, pushed the hair back from her eyes, and sighed before beginning her presentation to the school board.
__I___13. John was nervous and frightened when he saw his doctor walk into the room.
John started shaking and looking around when he saw his doctor walk into the room.
__I___14. When Chandra left Reggie’s car to go inside, he sat silently in front of her house for a while, daydreaming and pondering their future.
When Chandra left Reggie’s car to go inside, he sat silently in front of her house for a while.
__O___15. Jason stared at the computer screen for 1 1/2 minutes, opened his eyes wide, and started typing very rapidly on the keyboard.
__I__16. The patient was very aggressive.
The patient was shouting, pushing, hitting and throwing things at anyone in his way.
__I__17. The car veered from one side of the road to the other, crossing the centre line erratically, proving that the driver was drunk.
The car veered from one side of the road to the other, crossing the centre line erratically.
__O__18. The glass was half full with a dark-coloured liquid. A red, paint-like substance was on the rim.
__I_19. The little girl seemed sad and distraught.
The little girl was looking down with dried up tears on her face.
_I__20. The astonishing performance of the athlete could only mean he was doping.
After the athlete’s performance everyone who witness stood up and gave a standing ovation.
Marking scheme: Labels 2.5 marks Rewritten sentences 2.5 marks
