a generic question

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a generic question" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a question that is broad or not specific to a particular topic or situation. Example: "During the meeting, I asked a generic question about the company's future plans to encourage discussion among the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Of the 8 questions, 5 dealt with plant growth, 2 dealt with water transport and 1 was a generic question about science in general that stemmed from a lecture activity.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

- Regarding severity of experienced problems, the response alternatives were "very", "fairly", "somewhat", and "not at all" to a generic question "How problematic do you generally find it to handle sickness-certification of patients?" and to 16 specified problems.

BMC Public Health

It's a generic question we haven't answered that goes beyond 9/11".

The New York Times

The simultaneous optimization of a signal and of its variability is a generic question of interest to any chemical analyst.

Talanta

A generic question about how registered voters planned to vote for representatives in November showed a statistically insignificant Democratic edge of 41percentto37percentcent, a gap too small to foretell results in the three dozen or so closely contested House races.

The New York Times

It would not be reasonable to ask a generic question about why the team used a recurrent network or to ask "team recurrent net not use?" The team explained to me that the ability to ask questions improves the ability to answer them.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Two trials (9435 participants; McColl 2003 1; McColl 2003 2) found no evidence that placing disease/condition questions before generic questions is either a more or less effective strategy than a generic questions before disease/condition questions strategy at increasing trial questionnaire response (RR 1.00; 95% CI 0.97 to 1.02, P value = 0.75) (Analysis 14.1).

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Now Matthews would like some quick answers to a stultifyingly generic question: where is the country right now?

Huffington Post

Recall bias of adverse perinatal events was minimized by asking an initial generic question about any difficulties in the perinatal period, which was followed in all cases and controls with the same specific questions about length of labor, crying and feeding after birth, color, and any history of admission to hospital.

Epilepsia

The thought process here was to supply the reader with only four limiting and ambiguous responses to a rather frustratingly generic question about such a complicated topic: the future.

Vice

Secondly, the measure of change used was a self-report generic question which may not have a strong relationship with changes on generic or diabetes specific PROMs.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When initiating a conversation or exploring a new topic, start with "a generic question" to gauge initial understanding and encourage broad participation.

Common error

Avoid relying solely on "a generic question" when seeking specific or nuanced information; instead, formulate targeted inquiries to elicit detailed and relevant responses.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a generic question" functions as a noun phrase that typically serves as the subject or object of a sentence. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and usable in written English. It refers to a question that is broad or not specific.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

48%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a generic question" is a commonly used and grammatically sound phrase that serves to introduce broad topics or gather general information. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, highlighting its suitability for various contexts. While it's valuable for initiating conversations, it's crucial to use targeted questions when seeking detailed insights. Remember to start broad but narrow down for specific answers!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a general question

Emphasizes the non-specific nature of the question.

a non-specific question

Highlights the lack of detail or particular focus in the question.

a broad inquiry

Focuses on the scope of the question being wide-ranging, similar to generic nature.

a common question

Implies that the question is frequently asked.

a typical question

Indicates that the question is representative of a certain type.

a standard question

Suggests the question is typical or routinely asked.

a routine inquiry

Highlights the habitual or customary nature of the question.

an open-ended question

Emphasizes that the question allows for a variety of responses, rather than being limited.

a basic question

Suggests the question is fundamental or elementary.

an introductory question

Implies that the question serves as a starting point for further discussion.

FAQs

How can I use "a generic question" in a sentence?

You can use "a generic question" to start a conversation or gather general information, as in, "The interviewer began with "a generic question" about my career goals."

What are some alternatives to "a generic question"?

Alternatives to "a generic question" include "a general question", "a broad inquiry", or "a non-specific question", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to ask "a generic question"?

It's appropriate to ask "a generic question" when you need a broad overview or when initiating a discussion, rather than when seeking detailed or specific information.

What is the difference between "a generic question" and a specific question?

"A generic question" is broad and non-specific, while a specific question is targeted and seeks particular details or answers. For example, "What are your plans?" is "a generic question", while "What are your plans for the next quarter?" is a specific question.