a brief scan

USAGE SUMMARY

'a brief scan' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a quick look or overview of something. For example, "I gave the document a brief scan before handing it in to my supervisor."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

A brief scan of Smashing's most popular articles will give you the idea.

The Guardian - Tech

A brief scan reveals that the UK is the largest exporter of arms to India.

Independent

A brief scan of the submissions for "Spiderman" turned up pithy plot summations ("boy bitten, girl smitten") and punchy criticism ("stunts right, story slight").

The New York Times - Tech

Over the course of seven days there wasn't a single time when I stood on the bridge of the Seletar, even when deep at sea, that I couldn't look out and see other container ships, and a brief scan of the horizon with binoculars would usually reveal four or five more.

BBC

A brief scan of Rupi's Instagram page shows the accessibility of most of her poetry.

Vice

I thought "I Can't Feel My Face" was pretty good, as songs about gak go, but his first Daft Punk collaboration, the eponymous "Starboy," is totally forgettable, and a brief scan through the album produced nothing of particular interest.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

After a brief transmission scan, the minipigs were injected with [C]SCH23390 and [C]yohimbine at an interval of 2-3 hrs.

BioMed Research International

The actual treatment starts with a brief body scan and breathing exercise accompanied by low and gentle sounds on the monochord.

BMC Palliative Care

The D-SPECT requires a brief pre-scan following which the technologist draws a region of interest (ROI) to define the LV for cardio-centric DC movements [9].

EJNMMI Physics

While this brief scanning by the TR may provide an explanation for the feeble TR/pMHC interactions alluded to earlier, it becomes increasingly important to understand the minute aspects of this vital binding over a broad spectrum of data.

Plosone

We confirmed that this excitation regime was unable to activate the optogenetic constructs during the very brief scans.

Cell Calcium

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a brief scan" when you want to convey a quick and not very detailed examination or review of something. It's suitable when a thorough investigation isn't necessary or possible.

Common error

Avoid using "a brief scan" when a more in-depth analysis is required. If the context implies a thorough review, opt for terms like "detailed analysis" or "comprehensive assessment" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a brief scan" functions as a noun phrase typically used as the object of a verb (e.g., 'give', 'take'). It describes the action of quickly reviewing or examining something. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is usable in written English to refer to a quick look or overview.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

39%

Wiki

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a brief scan" is a grammatically correct and readily understandable phrase that describes a quick and superficial examination or review. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Scientific contexts, as indicated by Ludwig. While it's not extremely common, it's a useful expression for conveying efficiency and a lack of thoroughness in an assessment. When writing, consider the desired level of detail and formality; in situations requiring comprehensive analysis, alternative expressions may be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a quick look

Replaces "scan" with a more general term for looking.

a cursory examination

Substitutes "brief" with "cursory" and "scan" with "examination" for a more formal tone.

a swift overview

Uses "swift" instead of "brief" and "overview" instead of "scan", emphasizing speed and conciseness.

a fast check

Replaces both words with simpler alternatives emphasizing speed.

a fleeting glance

Emphasizes the brevity and superficiality of the scan.

a rapid review

Highlights the speed and evaluative nature of the process.

a once-over

An informal expression for a quick inspection.

a preliminary assessment

Implies a more formal and initial evaluation.

a surface inspection

Focuses on the superficial nature of the examination.

a skim

A very concise alternative, suggesting reading something quickly without detailed attention.

FAQs

What does "a brief scan" mean?

The phrase "a brief scan" refers to a quick or cursory examination or review of something, implying a lack of thoroughness or detail.

How can I use "a brief scan" in a sentence?

You can use "a brief scan" to describe quickly reviewing a document, an area, or any other item. For example, "I gave the report "a brief scan" to check for any obvious errors."

What can I say instead of "a brief scan"?

You can use alternatives like "a quick look", "a cursory examination", or "a swift overview" depending on the context.

Is "a brief scan" formal or informal?

"A brief scan" is relatively neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though alternatives like "a cursory examination" may be more appropriate for highly formal situations.