a few research

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few research" is not correct in English.
The word "research" is uncountable, so it cannot be preceded by "a few." You can use "a few" with countable nouns, but in this case, you would need to rephrase it to make it grammatically correct. Example: "I conducted a few studies to gather data for my thesis."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

These stResearchay exceed the capacity on thisadhesive and cause debonding in this region.

Composites Part B: Engineering

Only a few research combines these two in a SAH.

Solar Energy

A marked clustering of Fields Medalists may be observed within a few research institutions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Only a few research institutions and the American government took the IPv6 plunge early on.

The Economist

A few research groups have reported polyamides with photoluminescence29,54,55,56.

Nature

Quite a few research articles have been written on BTO-SC and MTO.

European Journal of Operational Research

However, only a few research works have been done on micromachining of ceramics using chemical etching.

Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China

Although, there is a few research that analyze surroundings obstacles such as buildings, woods etc.

Energy Procedia

However, only a few research studied the relations among surface roughness, sanding parameters, sanding pressure and wood texture direction.

Measurement

I'd imagine you can think of a few research questions of your own.

Stanford University

There are a few research papers from her work on her bachelor's degree (1927-1928).

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to multiple instances of research, use the plural form "studies" or "pieces of research" instead of the grammatically incorrect "a few research".

Common error

Avoid using "a few" directly before the word "research". "Research" is an uncountable noun and does not take a plural form. Use countable alternatives like "studies" or modify the phrase to "a few pieces of research".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few research" functions as a quantifier attempting to specify the quantity of the noun. However, it's grammatically incorrect because "research" is generally uncountable. According to Ludwig, a more appropriate wording would be something along the lines of "a few studies" or "a few pieces of research."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

69%

News & Media

17%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "a few research" is frequently found in various types of publications, it's grammatically incorrect. "Research" is generally considered an uncountable noun. As Ludwig AI points out, correct alternatives include phrases such as "a few studies" or "a few pieces of research". Despite its prevalence, especially in the scientific field, it's best to use grammatically correct alternatives to maintain clarity and precision in writing. The widespread use of the phrase suggests a common misunderstanding of noun usage, highlighting the importance of careful grammatical review.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few studies

Replaces the uncountable noun "research" with the countable noun "studies" to ensure grammatical correctness.

a small number of studies

More formally indicates a limited quantity of investigations.

limited research

Uses an adjective to directly describe the extent of research.

scarce research

Highlights the rarity or infrequency of research on a particular topic.

a handful of research projects

Emphasizes the project-based nature of the research, using a more informal quantifier.

only a few research efforts

Focuses on the attempts made in research, highlighting their limited nature.

a restricted amount of research

Stresses the limited quantity of research conducted.

a trickle of research

Suggests a very small and slow flow of research activity.

isolated studies

Implies that the research is infrequent and not part of a larger body of work.

sporadic research

Indicates that the research occurs irregularly and infrequently.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "research" with quantifiers like 'a few'?

Because "research" is generally uncountable, it's better to say "a few studies" or "a few pieces of research" rather than "a few research". If you are referring to the activity, use "little research".

Are there situations where "a few research" would be grammatically correct?

No, "a few research" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The word "research" is generally considered an uncountable noun and does not take a plural form or combine directly with "a few". Use "a few studies" instead.

What are some alternatives to "a few research" that still convey a small quantity of investigation?

Alternatives include "limited research", "a small number of studies", or "scarce research". These options maintain grammatical accuracy while indicating a small amount of investigative work.

How does the context affect the choice of phrases like "a few studies" versus "limited research"?

The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the individual investigations (studies) or the overall scope of investigation (research). "A few studies" highlights individual pieces of work, while "limited research" describes the overall quantity of investigation.