16. the process of making an inference,

an interpretation based on observation

and prior knowledge

The process of making an inference, an interpretation based on observation

and prior knowledge is termed as inferring.

Explanation:

Inference is one of the steps for scientific researches to occur. In simple words, an inference can be described as the logical interpretation of data based on past observations and knowledge. Any observation looked by a scientist follows the phase of inference where the scientists use prior knowledge for inferring his observation. Based on the inference, a possible hypothesis can be devised and formulated. A hypothesis usually arises from prior inferences.