Reading and Writing

• Generalization


  A broad statement or an idea that applies to a group of people or things
• Generalizations are often not entirely true because there may be examples of individuals or situations wherein the generalization does not apply
• Generalization


  A broad statement about what a group of people or things have in common
• Clue words to help find generalizations


  • all
  • none
  • most
  • many
  • always
  • everyone
  • never
  • sometimes
  • some
  • usually
  • seldom
  • few
  • generally
  • in general
  • overall
• These clue words generally show bad generalizations and it is usually a faulty generalization
• Good generalization


  • Most people in the United States greet each other with a handshake
• Bad generalization


  • All people in the United States greet each other with a handshake
• Valid generalization


  A statement that is true, supported by facts, uses logic and reasoning and proven with several examples
• Faulty generalization


  A statement poorly supported by facts, usually contain the keywords: all, no, none, everyone, nobody, always, never, and proven false if there is just a single exception
• Generalizations


  • It is never a good idea to drink coffee after noontime
  • Cooking isn't difficult; all you need are the right ingredients
  • The customer is always right
  • Many children eat cereal for breakfast
• Checklist in analyzing the validity of a generalization

  • Is it supported by several facts and examples from experiences?
  • How did the facts and examples from experiences support the generalization?
  • Is it applicable to all the people/object involved in the statement?
  • Does it use logic and reasoning? How did use logic and reasoning in making generalizations?
• Inference


  The act or process of reaching a conclusion about something from known facts or evidence
• Inference


  A conclusion or opinion formed because of known facts or evidence
• When do we infer?

  • We engage in inference every day. We interpret actions to be examples of behavior characteristics, intents, or expressions of particular feelings.
  • We infer it is raining when we see someone with an open umbrella.
  • We infer people are thirsty if they ask for a glass of water.
  • We infer that evidence in a text is authoritative when it is attributed to a scholar in the field.
  • We want to find significance. We listen to remarks and want to make sense of them. What might the speaker mean? Why is he or she saying that? We go beyond specific remarks to the underlying significance or broader meaning. We seek purposes and reasons.