You will apply inductive and deductive reasoning if you need to research something. So, you may be wondering what the two methods mean: inductive and deductive. What are the differences between the two? Is there a method that’s better than the other?
While conducting deductive research, you should have a theory. You should test the theory to determine whether it’s valid and if the conclusion has logic. However, in inductive, the research is simple; you need to make several observations and then make a ruling.
To have logical reasoning or offer a solution to a problem, you should combine both types of logic. In a research process, inductive reasoning should come before deductive argument. However, there is no technique that is superior to the other.
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Let’s learn more about inductive and deductive reasoning and their differences with the help of examples and FAQs.
Inductive reasoning is making conclusions by moving from a specific to a general option. This form of reasoning is referred to as inductive logic or bottom-up reasoning. You reason from specific instances and give evidence to the conclusion made.
Inductive reasoning can occur when you observe objects, patterns, or behaviors. From what you discover, you can conclude about the situation, behaviors, or pattern. For example, you can say:
"Monday, it rained in the afternoon. So, this pace always rains in the afternoon. So, this statement is an example of inductive reasoning, called generalization."
On the contrary deductive reasoning involves a combination of various pieces of information to form a conclusion. So, this form of reasoning applies logic to find a more satisfactory conclusion rather than guesswork. The opinion from deductive reasoning is more accurate and based on rules and logic.
Deductive reasoning is also called top-to-bottom or the general-to-specific approach. It’s the best method for making conclusions though sometimes it may be illogical too.
A logical example:
"Valentine's is coming on 14th February. Today is 14th February; therefore, it's Valentine’s Day."
"Carrots are oranges; oranges are oranges; oranges are carrots."
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The following are the types of inductive reasoning:
It’s an approach that makes the final statement based on recurrent patterns or repeated observations. To make this conclusion, you must observe a situation several times and then combine common patterns.
"If you like touring and seek services with a certain touring company and get the best experience, you will like them. If you visit them a second time and receive the same treatment, you may conclude that they are the best company."
This example may be true, but just for you. What happens if someone else visits the touring company and gets a bad experience? Your statement may therefore be incorrect and overly generalized.
This reasoning seeks to have cause-effect connections. While making this reasoning, one should only relate the cause and effects that are strong and direct. One occurrence leads to another, and the first is the cause of the second.
It’s a type that makes a final statement based on statistics. One can argue that 90 of the kids born are genius, if one randomly selects one kid in a group, there is a high probability of picking a genius.
It means an argument concluding on a group using the sample of a different group. For example, there are 100 genius kids in this area; therefore, all kids in the neighboring town are genius.
This reasoning draws a conclusion based on the shared patterns of the two groups. So, you first link two things and then infer that one feature about them must hold. This form is also called comparison.
It’s the type of reasoning that makes a conclusion based on a prediction made from a past sample.
There are three different types of deductive reasoning:
It’s a three-part argument that has a premise, a conclusion, and a reason for the conclusion. The premise should have a valid logic to make a specific conclusion.
Ponens contains a conditional, an affirmative statement, and a conclusion. The second statement usually affirms the first one. So, a conclusion must be true if the first statement is true. For example, all humans are mortal; Carey is a human, so Carey is mortal.
It’s also known as the law of contradictive as it’s the opposite of modus ponens. According to this law, the second statement disputes the first one.
The two arguments are grouped according to various categories. Let’s start with deduction. A deduction can be valid or invalid, sound or unsound.
The inductive has the following categories: weak, strong, cogent, and uncogent
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From the definition above, we have seen that inductive reasoning makes a general rule from several observations. This argument concludes observations, and therefore, this process includes four stages:
A deductive argument should always start with a theory and then test the theories. Follow these four stages in your reasoning:
This deductive example starts with a theory that all domesticated dogs have fleas. From the theory, an inference develops about the dogs in a flat. So, to determine whether this is a fact, a test is carried out, and only ten out of 40 dogs have fleas. The illogical theory about domesticated dogs leads to an invalid conclusion. Therefore, if carrying out this research, one should start again with a logical fact to reach a valid conclusion.
Inductive reasoning has various benefits as outlined below:
When dealing with inductive reasoning, it's best to look at these factors to make it effective:
Inductive reasoning has helped people in various roles and sectors. Private consultants and companies require this skill to run various business activities. Check out more applications of inductive reasoning:
A hiring company usually contracts actuarial science and engineering candidates smoothly. Through inductive reasoning, they conclude that these candidates are the best and thus keep hiring more.
An online business may review its client’s feedback. They notice that the comment or reviews may be true, so they work on more reviews to promote the business.
If adding a customer testimonial on a company website boosts sales, it’s a nice marketing tactic. So, the reasoning will suggest that the company should trust all the clients’ testimonials and include them on all their platforms to boost sales and trust in the brand.
For instance, in an if-then statement, If an angle F > 90 degrees, then A is an obtuse angle. F = 125 degrees. Therefore, F is an obtuse angle.
Keep reading more applications of the deductive approach in this article.
If you need to conduct research, you should have an idea of where to start. You will need to apply both methods to have the best results. Remember, to begin with inductive, make observations, take notes, and create a theory you can test.
Use a deductive approach to test the theory. Perform tests, sort the results, and form a logical inference based on facts. This is how research officers work in criminal investigations. With these facts and knowledge, you can now apply these types of reasoning in your research or challenge that you want to solve.
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