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{{wiktionary}}
'''Observation''' is an activity of an intelligent living being (e.g. [[human]]), which senses and assimilates the [[knowledge]] of a [[phenomenon]] in its framework of previous knowledge and ideas.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=54755&dict=CALD |title=Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary |access-date=2007-06-14 |archive-date=2007-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209161817/http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=54755&dict=CALD |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

Observation is more than the bare act of observing: Observation requires observing and seeking knowledge, often through [[experiment]].

Observations that come from self-defining instruments are often unreliable.<ref>[[Observer effect]]</ref> Such observations are hard to reproduce because they may vary even with respect to the same [[Stimulus|stimuli]]. Thus they are not of much use in exact sciences like [[physics]] which require instruments which do not define themselves. It is thus often necessary to use various [[engineering|engineered]] instruments like: [[spectrometer]]s, [[oscilloscope]]s, [[camera]]s, [[telescope]]s, [[interferometer]]s, tape recorders, [[thermometer]]s etc. and tools like clocks, scale that help in improving the {{broken wikt link|[[wikt:accuracy|accuracy}}]], [[quality]] and utility of the [[information]] obtained from an observation. 

The accuracy and tremendous success of science is primarily attributed to the accuracy and [[Objectivity (science)|objectivity]] (i.e. repeatability) of observation of the reality that science explores.

== The role of observation in the scientific method ==

(contracted; show full)== References ==
<references/>
== Related pages ==
*[[Scientific method]]

[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Philosophy of science]]
[[Category:Basic English 850 words]]