a poor assumption

USAGE SUMMARY

"a poor assumption" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it to describe an incorrect conclusion that someone came to. For example: "She had made a poor assumption that the party would be cancelled, when in fact it was just postponed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

I was under the assumption that it must be still good to start growing things on it again, which was a poor assumption.

Cornell University

That's obviously a poor assumption because there was (a) attrition among actives and (b) reactivation of dormant accounts.

TechCrunch

That's a poor assumption that can alter the inferred interaction strengths, he says.

Science Magazine

Given the small scale structure of the magnetic field, this is also a poor assumption.

Earth, Planets and Space

This is a poor assumption, because real science expertise is poorly represented on most state adoption panels (when they exist).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

At Mars, where the scale length of changes in the magnetic field can be relatively small, this is a poor assumption.

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

This discrepancy might be a result of the poor assumption of P- and S-wave velocities (Vp and Vs) in the shallow sedimentary layer used for our hypocenter determination procedure.

Earth, Planets and Space

They made very poor assumptions, but it drove home an important lesson I have learned over the past few years: there is a significant divide between horsemen (gender neutral) and horse welfare advocates.

The New York Times

With the average annual big league salary approaching $4 million, decisions based on poor assumptions or unchallenged opinions can cripple a revenue-challenged team such as Oakland.

Los Angeles Times

The marquis is "all me". As we tracked the course of Carol's poor assumptions, it became clear that in focusing on a specific goal, she had narrowed her vision.

Forbes

No one needs to be told now that these were poor assumptions.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a poor assumption", be explicit about why the assumption is poor. Providing context strengthens your critique.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the consequences of "a poor assumption". While it's important to highlight the error, overstating its impact can weaken your argument and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a poor assumption" functions as a noun phrase that identifies and characterizes an underlying belief or premise as being inadequate or flawed. As Ludwig AI points out, this signals a problem with the reasoning or foundation of an argument.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a poor assumption" is a noun phrase used to identify and critique a flawed or inadequate underlying belief. As Ludwig AI highlights, this phrase serves to point out weakness in reasoning and prevent negative outcomes. While grammatically correct and fairly common, especially in Scientific articles and News Media, it's crucial to be specific about why the assumption is poor, and to avoid overstating the negative impact of it. Alternatives include "an incorrect assumption" or "a flawed premise" depending on the intended nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an incorrect assumption

Replaces "poor" with "incorrect", focusing on the factual inaccuracy of the assumption.

a false supposition

Replaces both "poor" and "assumption" with synonyms, stressing the untruthfulness of the idea.

a flawed premise

Substitutes "assumption" with "premise", highlighting the logical weakness in the initial proposition.

an ill-advised conclusion

Focuses on the negative consequences of reaching a conclusion based on the faulty assumption.

a mistaken belief

Replaces "assumption" with "belief", emphasizing the subjective nature of the error.

a badly conceived notion

Emphasizes the flawed thinking that led to the assumption.

an unsound judgment

Shifts the focus to the quality of the judgment rather than the assumption itself.

an untenable assertion

Highlights the indefensibility of the claim made in the assumption.

a dubious hypothesis

Frames the assumption as a scientific hypothesis, implying a lack of supporting evidence.

a weak foundation

Metaphorically describes the assumption as lacking a strong base or support.

FAQs

How can I use "a poor assumption" in a sentence?

You can use "a poor assumption" to point out a flawed premise or belief. For example, "His conclusion was based on "a poor assumption" about market trends".

What are some alternatives to saying "a poor assumption"?

Alternatives include "an incorrect assumption", "a flawed premise", or "a mistaken belief" depending on the specific context.

Is it always negative to point out "a poor assumption"?

Yes, pointing out "a poor assumption" generally implies a critique or disagreement with the underlying belief. It suggests that the assumption is not well-founded or leads to incorrect conclusions.

What's the difference between "a poor assumption" and "a risky assumption"?

"A poor assumption" suggests the assumption is factually wrong or logically flawed. "A risky assumption" implies the assumption might be correct, but its consequences could be negative if it turns out to be false.