Distinguish between an observation and an inference
An observation is something that can be made with only the five senses (site, touch, hear, taste, and smell), and an inference is something that involves a decision being made about something you observe.  Our class wrote the following definitions of observation and inference in our notes.

Observation: Something that can be made with only the five senses.
 
Inference: Something that involves a decision being made about something you observe.
*See the table below for examples of each.

You can make observations and inferences with any object.  The RockaBrain.com team made a list of observations and inferences about an object like the one below.  Remember, an observation is something made by using the five senses: smell, sound, sight, touch, and taste.  Below is our list of observations and inferences.

*Remember: Inferences don't always have to be correct.  In fact, a lot of times they're not, but they should make sense at least.  I could make an incorrect inference that because I observed that this object is yellow, it must be a banana.  That's kind of funny, and we know it's the wrong inference.  When making inferences be sure to take into account all of your observations in order to make the best inference possible.

Even More on Inferences and Observations!
This following words, pictures, and explanations are originally from http://dl.clackamas.cc.or.us/ch104-02/inference.htm

In this picture, you can observe that there is some white material up in the air. One of the inferences that you might make is that you are looking at the picture of a cloud. Another inference you might make is that there was a brush fire in the direction that the the picture was taken, or perhaps Mt. St. Helens has erupted again after all these years. Whether or not any of those statements is true is beside the point at the moment. Saying that it is a picture of a cloud is an inference. Observing the white stuff behind the trees and building is the observation.

There are times when observations and inferences are very much intertwined with one another and then it can be very difficult to make the distinction. This is because observation and inference both are mental processes. An example of this is a mirage or an optical illusion.

If you have ever seen the light shimmering off the road or countryside out in the desert, it looks like water. That is an inference. What you are observing is the reflection of the light, and you are inferring that it is reflecting off water.

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