North Carolina A & T State University
Department of Sociology and Social Work
Can You Tell Fact from Inference? Exercise
This game is designed to determine your ability to tell fact from inference. It is for your own use, and does not need to be turned in, although it will be discussed in class. Even though some of the stories may be vague, try to think about them carefully. All of the information given may be assumed to be true. There are three stories, each followed by statements about the story.
Special rules: Read the story, then determine the accuracy of the statement in the order they appear by circling the "T," "F," or "?." The "T" means that the statement is confirmed by the story; the "F" means that the statement is contradicted by the information in the story, and the "?" means that you cannot determine from the information in the story whether the statement is true or false. You may read the story as many times as you like, but do not change any answers.
Story A
Former President Johnson is asked to speak at a commencement ceremony. Administrators, faculty, students and parents become restless when he does not arrive to speak at the scheduled time. Later they find he has been delayed by car trouble.
STATEMENTS ABOUT STORY A
1. The former President Johnson was asked to speak at a ceremony T F ?
2. Spectators at the ceremony remained cheerful when the speaker did not appear T F ?
3. Former President of the US Lyndon B Johnson is delayed T F ?
4. Those in the college audience become restless when former Pres Johnson does not arrive at the scheduled time. T F ?
5. The automobile in which former President Johnson is riding has had trouble T F ?
6. Andrew Johnson, 17th President of the US, is delayed in speaking to a high school commencement ceremony by derailment of his railroad car. T F ?
*******************************************************
STORY B
Arthur Johnson, administrator of the Mt Park Hospital, phoned the hospital's official in charge of personnel, Charles Brown. In the course of his call, Johnson discussed the possibility of Brown hiring a woman named Goldberg as a nurse. He informed Brown that he had just been told that Goldberg had recently been graduated. Brown assured Johnson that Goldberg would be interviewed.
STATEMENTS ABOUT STORY B
1. Arthur Johnson phoned Charles Brown T F ?
2. In the course of his phone call to his colleague, Johnson did not discuss the possibility of Brown's hiring Goldberg T F ?
3. Goldberg is a recent graduate T F ?
4. The story does not state that Brown will hire Goldberg. T F ?
5. Brown promised to interview Goldberg. T F ?
6. Brown hires and fires personnel for the Mt Park Hospital T F ?
7. In their conversation, Brown and Johnson discussed a young woman named Goldberg. T F ?
8. Johnson assured Brown that he would interview Goldberg. T F ?
9. The story does not state whether Mrs Goldberg was qualified as a nurse. T F ?
10. Brown and Johnson know each other. T F ?
11. Goldberg is Jewish. T F ?
12. While Johnson recommended Goldberg, the story does not state clearly whether Johnson had reservations about Goldberg's qualifications as a nurse. T F ?
13. Arthur Johson is administrator for the Mt Airy Hospital T F ?
14. Goldberg has a big nose. T F ?
***************************************************
STORY C
It is the first day of class for the new teacher, Marsha Morgan. All but the boy in the last seat of the third row (Tim, according to the chart), get out their books when she asked them to. When she suggests that Tim get out his book, he keeps on playing. She then physically takes him by the shoulder and turns him around. The surprised look on his face fades and his jaw tightens.
STATEMENTS ABOUT STORY C
1. Tim is a troublemaker who is "testing" the new teacher. T F ?
2. Tim is angry at being caught. T F ?
3. Marsha Morgan knows that she will have to establish herself as "boss" right away if she is to maintain control. T F ?
4. Tim does not hear very well. T F ?
5. Marsha Morgan has acted on inference. T F ?
v 1.3, 12 Jan 01
Taken from: Johnson, Kenneth, John J Senatore, Mark Liebig, Gene Minor. (1974). Nothing Never Happens: Exercises to trigger group discussions and promote self-discovery (with selected readings). Beverly Hills, Glencoe Press.
North Carolina A & T State University
Department of Sociology and Social Work
Can You Tell Fact from Inference? Exercise
This game is designed to determine your ability to tell fact from inference. It is for your own use, and does not need to be turned in, although it will be discussed in class. Even though some of the stories may be vague, try to think about them carefully. All of the information given may be assumed to be true. There are three stories, each followed by statements about the story.
Special rules: Read the story, then determine the accuracy of the statement in the order they appear by circling the "T," "F," or "?." The "T" means that the statement is confirmed by the story; the "F" means that the statement is contradicted by the information in the story, and the "?" means that you cannot determine from the information in the story whether the statement is true or false. You may read the story as many times as you like, but do not change any answers.
Story A
Former President Johnson is asked to speak at a commencement ceremony. Administrators, faculty, students and parents become restless when he does not arrive to speak at the scheduled time. Later they find he has been delayed by car trouble.
STATEMENTS ABOUT STORY A
1. The former President Johnson was asked to speak at a ceremony T F ?
2. Spectators at the ceremony remained cheerful when the speaker did not appear T F ?
3. Former President of the US Lyndon B Johnson is delayed T F ?
4. Those in the college audience become restless when former Pres Johnson does not arrive at the scheduled time. T F ?
5. The automobile in which former President Johnson is riding has had trouble T F ?
6. Andrew Johnson, 17th President of the US, is delayed in speaking to a high school commencement ceremony by derailment of his railroad car. T F ?
*******************************************************
STORY B
Arthur Johnson, administrator of the Mt Park Hospital, phoned the hospital's official in charge of personnel, Charles Brown. In the course of his call, Johnson discussed the possibility of Brown hiring a woman named Goldberg as a nurse. He informed Brown that he had just been told that Goldberg had recently been graduated. Brown assured Johnson that Goldberg would be interviewed.
STATEMENTS ABOUT STORY B
1. Arthur Johnson phoned Charles Brown T F ?
2. In the course of his phone call to his colleague, Johnson did not discuss the possibility of Brown's hiring Goldberg T F ?
3. Goldberg is a recent graduate T F ?
4. The story does not state that Brown will hire Goldberg. T F ?
5. Brown promised to interview Goldberg. T F ?
6. Brown hires and fires personnel for the Mt Park Hospital T F ?
7. In their conversation, Brown and Johnson discussed a young woman named Goldberg. T F ?
8. Johnson assured Brown that he would interview Goldberg. T F ?
9. The story does not state whether Mrs Goldberg was qualified as a nurse. T F ?
10. Brown and Johnson know each other. T F ?
11. Goldberg is Jewish. T F ?
12. While Johnson recommended Goldberg, the story does not state clearly whether Johnson had reservations about Goldberg's qualifications as a nurse. T F ?
13. Arthur Johson is administrator for the Mt Airy Hospital T F ?
14. Goldberg has a big nose. T F ?
***************************************************
STORY C
It is the first day of class for the new teacher, Marsha Morgan. All but the boy in the last seat of the third row (Tim, according to the chart), get out their books when she asked them to. When she suggests that Tim get out his book, he keeps on playing. She then physically takes him by the shoulder and turns him around. The surprised look on his face fades and his jaw tightens.
STATEMENTS ABOUT STORY C
1. Tim is a troublemaker who is "testing" the new teacher. T F ?
2. Tim is angry at being caught. T F ?
3. Marsha Morgan knows that she will have to establish herself as "boss" right away if she is to maintain control. T F ?
4. Tim does not hear very well. T F ?
5. Marsha Morgan has acted on inference. T F ?
v 1.3, 12 Jan 01
From: Johnson, Kenneth, John J Senatore, Mark Liebig, Gene Minor. (1974). Nothing Never Happens: Exercises to trigger group discussions and promote self-discovery (with selected readings). Beverly Hills, Glencoe Press.