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The use of short video clips for teaching the difference between observations and inferences

Writing Guidelines

Observations versus Inferences

Be sensitive to what you observe
(i.e., what you know and can verify)
versus
what you infer
(i.e., what you think you know or what you have concluded)


Guidelines for writing descriptions of behavioral events

  1. Set the stage
    • describe the physical setting
    • describe the social setting
    • describe camera location and angle
    • remember to note what looks like camera and human focused behavior
  2. Describe events
    • postures and movements
      (orientations and distances)
    • timing
      (latencies and durations)
    • sequence of events
      (what follows what, what events are simultaneous)
    • apparent purposes or intentions
      (labeled as such)
  3. Closing Summary
  4. mention duration of entire scene or interaction
  5. summarize essence of scene and its apparent effect or purpose
  6. Use the Related Itmes section below to download the approprate files

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