- [Instructor] Hello readers.
Let's play detective, shall we?
My mama always told me not to jump to conclusions,
but that's essentially what the skill of inference is.
It's not really a guess.
It's combining what you already know
with what's in front of you
and drawing conclusions from there.
It's filling in the gaps.
So look, I can look at this shape with gaps in it,
and based on what the shape suggest
and based on what I already know,
I can say I'm pretty sure that's an elephant.
When I do that, I'm making an inference.
That's what we're gonna talk about in this video.
Not just making an inference,
but going back and supporting
that inference with evidence.
This is an essential skill.
Knowing how to read between the lines
can help you make sense of what's missing in a text,
of what's being left unsaid,
or maybe even to figure out if someone is lying.
Let me set up an example, a little locked room mystery.
There was a mouse hole in the wall of a kitchen.
There is a heavy glass jar full of lovingly baked cookies
with a heavy glass lid still on the jar.
An hour ago, there were a dozen cookies in there,
and now there are only six.
From the jar across the floor
to the mouse hole in the wall,
there is a trail of cookie crumbs.
The question readers is, therefore,
who took the cookies?
The answer is not a mouse.
A mouse did not take the cookies.
It's a things to set up.
It's a frame job.
How do I know that?
The lid.
Based on my background knowledge about mice,
I don't think a mouse would've been able to lift
and replace the heavy glass lid of the jar.
Maybe if we knew a person had left the lid off the jar,
the mouse would still be a suspect.
But I can infer from the evidence I see
and my background knowledge
that someone else took six cookies
and left it incriminating cookie crumb trail
that led to the doorstep of an innocent mouse.
And when I am defending this mouse in court,
I will point to the lid as evidence
in support of my inference.
Let's do this again.
But I'll give you a chunk of text
to look at and then you'll get the chance
to make your own inferences.
Here is the first introduction
of Agatha Christie's fictional detective Hercule Poirot.
The narrator describes Poirot.
Poirot was an extraordinary looking little man.
He was hardly more than five feet, four inches,
but carried himself with a great dignity.
His head was exactly the shape of an egg,
and he always perched it a little on one side.
His mustache was very stiff and military.
The neatness of his attire was almost incredible.
I believe the speck of dust would've caused him
more pain than a bullet wound.
Yet, as a detective, his flare had been extraordinary,
and he had achieved triumphs by unraveling some
of the most baffling cases of the day.
And for you, I have a question now, readers.
Based on this description,
what personality traits do you think Poirot
has that make him good at solving mysteries?
I'll put on some music,
or you can take this time to pause the video and discuss.
We'll meet back here and I'll show you
how to answer this question
by making some informed inferences.
(upbeat music)
Okay, let's go through it.
So what traits does Poirot have that make him
good at solving mysteries?
I think the words I'd use to describe Poirot
are fussy or detail-oriented.
How do I know that?
Let's go to the text.
He carries himself with great dignity.
He's proud of his appearance.
He has this stiff little mustache.
"The neatness of his attire
was almost incredible."
That is to say, literally incredible, unbelievable.
His clothes were so neat, unbelievably so
to the point where a speck of dust
would hurt him like a bullet hurt someone.
All those details lead me to conclude
that he notices little things.
You have to notice the little things
if you're going to keep yourself so neat.
So exquisitely tidy and free of dust,
a spectacular attention to detail.
I can infer that that's the personality trait
that leads him to notice things
other people wouldn't notice,
and makes him such a great detective.
As you read, it's important to keep checking
for text evidence that supports
or discredits your initial inferences.
Sometimes they'll be wrong, sometimes right.
But usually the rest of the text
will help you determine that.
Now, do I suspect that you or I or any of us
are likely to become mystery solving sleuths?
Well, yes, actually I do.
I just think it'll be through the skill
of inference in your reading practice
and not through solving murders.
Though from the evidence presented,
I wouldn't rule out that possibility.
You can learn anything, David, out.