a lack of samples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a lack of samples" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing insufficient examples or instances of something, often in research or analysis contexts. Example: "The study's findings were inconclusive due to a lack of samples from diverse populations."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

However we were not able to validate this finding in a segregation analysis due to a lack of samples available.

Nature

In addition, the WSCNN's generalization ability is better than that of DIMNN especially in the case of a lack of samples.

Measurement

In this method, the truck scales' prior knowledge, i.e., the correlation of the load cells' outputs, is used to construct the constraint conditions for optimizing a neural network (NN) in the case of a lack of samples, and then the NN's performance index is constructed and the detail algorithm of WSCNN is given.

Measurement

This is because these whiskers cannot be calculated due to a lack of samples.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

This major drop could be a result of a lack of samples (only 78 in this sample; see Table 1).

The Journal of Chinese Sociology

However, the limitations present in this study include failures to verify statistical significance due to a lack of samples in the histomorphometric analysis and to set control group as carrier.

Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

While trends in biodiversity of hermit crab assemblages do not follow predicted patterns (e.g., hermit crabs within the Indo-West Pacific do not harbor more species than those from temperate regions), this is suggested to reflect a lack of sampling rather than a true representation of the number of associates.

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Areas where bees are not reported could thus be because of a real absence or simply a lack of sampling in these areas [13].

Plosone

This may indicate that the species-area relationship does not hold for the oceans, or (more likely) reflects a lack of sampling in large areas within regions or variable taxonomic effort.

Plosone

Where large numbers of volunteers in a given area have submitted presence data for some species, but no data on presence of other species, confidence can be increased that the lack of data on the absent species is due to the true absence of the species, rather than from a lack of sampling effort.

Plosone

It seems clear that a lack of sampling due to insufficient sequencing is not the major problem.

BMC Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting research limitations, be specific about how "a lack of samples" affected your results. Quantify the impact if possible.

Common error

Don't just state "a lack of samples" as a limitation. Explain why the sample size was insufficient and what steps could be taken to address this in future research.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a lack of samples" functions as a noun phrase. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is used to identify a deficiency or shortage, typically within a research or analytical context.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

70%

Academia

15%

News & Media

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a lack of samples" is a grammatically sound and commonly used noun phrase, particularly in scientific and academic contexts. As noted by Ludwig AI, it serves to denote a deficiency in the quantity of samples, which often translates to a limitation in research. Alternative phrases such as "insufficient sample size" or "limited number of samples" can offer more concise alternatives. When using this phrase, it's crucial to explain the reasons behind the insufficient samples and how they impact the conclusions. Remember to avoid oversimplifying the explanation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insufficient sample size

Replaces the more descriptive "a lack of samples" with a direct reference to quantity in research.

limited number of samples

Specifies that the deficiency is in the count of samples.

scarcity of samples

Highlights the limited availability of samples.

paucity of samples

Uses a more formal term to denote the small quantity of samples.

inadequate sample selection

Focuses on the quality and method of sample selection, rather than just the number.

deficient sample group

Emphasizes a shortfall in the constitution of the sample group.

shortage of specimens

Replaces "samples" with the synonym "specimens", referring to biological samples.

absence of samples

Indicates a complete non-existence of samples, rather than just a shortage.

restricted access to samples

Suggests the limitation stems from accessibility rather than sheer quantity.

limited sample availability

Focuses on the sample's availability instead of its absolute quantity.

FAQs

How can I use "a lack of samples" in a research paper?

Use "a lack of samples" to explain limitations in your data or analysis. For example, "The study's conclusions are tentative due to a lack of samples from the target demographic".

What are some alternatives to "a lack of samples"?

You can use alternatives like "insufficient sample size", "limited number of samples", or "scarcity of samples" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "a lack of samples" or "insufficient samples"?

"Insufficient samples" is more concise and direct, but "a lack of samples" can add emphasis to the deficiency, depending on the writer's preference.

How does "a lack of samples" affect statistical significance?

A small sample size resulting from "a lack of samples" can reduce the statistical power of a study, making it harder to detect true effects and increasing the risk of false negatives.