Final answer:
Inductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion. This is common in descriptive science, such as biology. Biologists make observations and infer conclusions based on evidence, formulating generalizations for further study.
Step-by-step explanation:
Inductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion. This type of reasoning is common in descriptive science, such as biology. A biologist makes observations and records them, which can be qualitative or quantitative. From these observations, the biologist can infer conclusions based on evidence and formulate generalizations. For example, brain studies involve observing many live brains while people are engaged in specific activities, and the part of the brain that 'lights up' during these activities is predicted to be the part controlling the response to the stimulus. This type of research uses inductive reasoning to make general conclusions based on careful observation and analysis of a large amount of data.