a manual error

USAGE SUMMARY

"a manual error" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to a mistake made by a person, rather than a computer or machine. For example, "The accountant was reprimanded for a manual error that cost the company thousands of dollars."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

As a result of a manual error, Arca's pricing information on Splunk was not updated properly.

The New York Times

The error was caused by a "manual error" in the entry of online forms by ABS staff.

The Guardian

He said the company's technical capabilities were not to blame, and that a "manual" error had caused the failure.

The Guardian

We performed a manual error analysis for the dictionaries with disambiguation rules applied (see Methods).

Journal of Cheminformatics

Compared to the broad range of information on a manual error, brief errors in eye motion (i.e., a prosaccade usually immediately followed by a corrective antisaccade) seem to be much less detectable.

Brain Structure and Function

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

This makes some model changes (e.g., adding more states to a site) a manual, error-prone process done through copy-paste.

BMC Systems Biology

Since, the proposed biofilm model does not consider any nomographs, normalized loading curves, etc., there is no chance of any manual error.

Applied Water Science

This represents an automation of part of the manual error handling process and not a true autonomic error correction process.

Journal of Cloud Computing

Furthermore, using an autosampler to manipulate samples prevents manual error and is thus labor efficient.

Plosone

To improve the performance of the basic step of tagging a question by relevant CUIs, we performed manual error review which indicated potential for further improvement.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

"Our system is capable of significant scale, but in this case a manual configuration error resulted in the issues experienced by the public," Mendels said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing quality control or risk management, use "a manual error" to highlight the need for better training or automated processes to reduce human mistakes.

Common error

Avoid using "a manual error" when you specifically mean an error in written text. Instead, use terms like "typo" or "transcription error" if the mistake is related to writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a manual error" functions as a noun phrase, specifically as a subject complement or object in a sentence. It identifies the type of mistake made, emphasizing that it was due to human action rather than a system malfunction. Ludwig AI validates this through examples where the phrase describes the cause of issues in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a manual error" is a noun phrase that accurately describes a mistake made by a person, distinguishing it from machine or system failures. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While not exceedingly common, it's appropriate in professional and neutral contexts like science and news media. When using this phrase, ensure it clearly communicates the source of the error to implement targeted solutions. Related phrases like "human mistake" or "clerical error" might be more precise depending on the situation. Avoiding its use when referring to written errors can also increase clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

human mistake

Replaces "manual" with its direct synonym "human", keeping the focus on errors made by people.

clerical error

Specifies the type of manual error as one related to office work or administrative tasks.

data entry mistake

Highlights errors specifically related to entering data, often done manually.

operator error

Indicates that the error was caused by the person operating a machine or system.

handwritten error

Refers to errors made when writing by hand.

procedural mistake

Focuses on errors stemming from following an incorrect or flawed procedure.

administrative oversight

Highlights errors that are a result of failing to properly oversee or manage administrative tasks.

human-caused mistake

Emphasizes the human element in causing the error, similar to "human mistake".

input error

Broadly describes any error resulting from incorrect input, whether manual or automated.

personnel mistake

Specifies that the error resulted from actions or inactions of personnel.

FAQs

How can I use "a manual error" in a sentence?

You can use "a manual error" to describe a mistake made by a person, such as "The audit revealed "a manual error" in the financial report that needed correction".

What are some alternatives to "a manual error"?

Alternatives to "a manual error" include "human mistake", "clerical error", or "operator error" depending on the specific context.

What's the difference between "a manual error" and "a systemic error"?

"A manual error" refers to a mistake made by an individual, while "a systemic error" indicates a flaw in a process or system that leads to errors.

Is "a manual error" the same as "a technical error"?

No, "a manual error" is caused by a person, whereas "a technical error" results from a problem with technology or equipment.