a good sample

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a good sample" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a representative or high-quality example of something, often in contexts like research, testing, or analysis. Example: "The researchers collected a good sample of data to ensure the accuracy of their findings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"They included a good sample of the big names.

The New Yorker

But for now, we'd had a good sample.

The New York Times - Travel

He called it "a good sample" and judged that the agency had missed no significant clues.

The New York Times

She says Ofqual chose to challenge those qualifications where WJEC had a good sample size.

The Guardian

We get a good sample — excerpts from more than a dozen numbers.

The New Yorker

To keep the computer from crashing, I used the first ten thousand words of each work — a good sample size.

The New Yorker

It performs the invaluable task of presenting a good sample of artefacts of the past 60 years.

The Guardian - Arts

Most interestingly for these purposes, there is a good sample of Russian futurism, or cubo-futurism, including work by Exter, Goncharova, Kliun, Larionov, Malevich, Popova and Rozanova.

The Guardian - Arts

The Miracle of Fall provides a good sample of driving tours in the Midwest -- a region that gets little credit for fall beauty.

The New York Times - Travel

The Elko area is a conservative enclave and a good sample of what Nevada is like outside its two big cities.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

A 'good sample quality' definition and an assay to determine this FFPE DNA sample quality would therefore be of great value.

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing data collection, use "a good sample" to indicate that the data is representative and suitable for analysis.

Common error

Avoid drawing broad conclusions if your "a good sample" is small or not truly representative of the entire population or phenomenon. A larger, more diverse sample is always preferable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a good sample" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where 'good' modifies the noun 'sample'. It is used to describe a subset of a population or collection that is considered representative or of high quality. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely applicable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

36%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a good sample" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe a representative subset of a larger group, suitable for analysis or drawing conclusions. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and wide applicability across various domains, especially in science and news media. When using this phrase, ensure the sample is truly representative to avoid overgeneralizations. Alternatives include "representative example" or "suitable specimen", depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a representative example

This alternative emphasizes the representativeness of the example.

a decent selection

This suggests a reasonably acceptable choice from a larger group.

a suitable specimen

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes the quality of the specimen.

a fair cross-section

This suggests a balanced and diverse representation of the whole.

an adequate representation

This emphasizes the sufficiency of the representation.

a solid illustration

This highlights the illustrative quality and reliability of the sample.

a valid instance

This alternative focuses on the instance being correct and applicable.

a telling excerpt

This emphasizes the revealing nature of the excerpt.

an instructive case

This focuses on the educational value of the case.

a prime demonstration

This highlights the exemplary quality of the demonstration.

FAQs

How can I use "a good sample" in a sentence?

You can use "a good sample" to describe a collection of items or data that is representative and suitable for analysis. For example, "The study used "a good sample" of the population to ensure accurate results."

What can I say instead of "a good sample"?

You can use alternatives like "representative example", "decent selection", or "suitable specimen" depending on the context.

Is it better to have "a good sample" or a large sample?

Ideally, you want both. A large sample size generally increases the statistical power of your analysis, but it's crucial to ensure that the sample is also "a good sample" that accurately represents the population you're studying.

What makes "a good sample" in scientific research?

In scientific research, "a good sample" is one that is representative of the population being studied, minimizing bias and allowing for accurate generalizations. Factors like sample size, random selection, and control over confounding variables contribute to creating "a good sample".