a preliminary assumption

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a preliminary assumption" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing an initial belief or hypothesis that is subject to further investigation or confirmation. Example: "Before conducting the experiment, we made a preliminary assumption about the outcome based on previous research."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

However, some climatic and epidemiologic behaviors related to VL could be helpful in drafting a preliminary assumption about pathways by which El Niño can affect the temporal distribution pattern of the disease.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

A preliminary assumption is that residues β2-Lys260 β2-Lys2604, α4-Gly244, and β2-Gly238, which are facing the ion channel lumen, are part of luminal (L) binding sites (see Table 1).

Biochemistry

Perhaps a preliminary assumption might be that this is unlikely to be favorable, given that the EORTC 18991 study did not show an OS benefit with treatment, and the health-related quality of life impact associated with treatment was clearly detrimental.

Core Evidence

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The behavioral ecologists are making the preliminary assumption that a trait is an adaptation in order to test other hypotheses about it they "pretend as if" the trait were an adaptation, and use that assumption to detect deviations from optimality that might reveal interesting tradeoffs and constraints the nature of the deviation can suggest what might be missing from the model.

SEP

Although this preliminary assumption provides a plausible explanation of the lag time and intensity of the teleconnection pattern between El Niño and VL cycle in Bahia, the occurrence of distinct climate and vector seasonality patterns on the regional level could lead to differences in the lag time previously discussed.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

We did not use the (D -reward structure (Fig. 3) preferreD -rewardon-line method, astructureliminary assumption Fig the implemented natural actor-critic was a straight trajectory and the (D)-structure is only meaningful when curved trajectories are allowed.

Biological Cybernetics

The preliminary assumption that the marker 074I10_3_2 was not physically linked to a particular BAC clone proved correct, because the FISH signals specific for BACs 074I10 and 057J20 were observed on separate chromosomes.

BMC Genomics

Under the preliminary assumption that the description of patient in case reports usually has a modular configuration, easily identifiable, we designed a simple methodology to find these structures we call linguistic patterns.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

All preliminary assumption checks were completed using the car package in R (Fox & Weisberg [2011]).

Large-scale Assessments in Education

Preliminary assumption testing was conducted to check normality and homogeneity of variance with no serious violations noted.

Journal of Big Data

In these tests, the preliminary assumption was the existence of homogeneity of variance and not normal distribution [39].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a preliminary assumption", clearly state that it's subject to change based on new evidence or further analysis to avoid misinterpretation.

Common error

Avoid presenting "a preliminary assumption" as a definitive fact. Always acknowledge its tentative nature to maintain credibility and intellectual honesty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a preliminary assumption" functions as a noun phrase, serving to introduce an initial belief or hypothesis that requires further examination. As supported by Ludwig, it signifies a starting point subject to refinement.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

Academia

30%

News & Media

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a preliminary assumption" is a noun phrase used to introduce an initial belief or hypothesis that needs further investigation. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and appropriateness in written English. It's most frequently used in science, academic, and news contexts. To ensure clarity, it is important to acknowledge its tentative nature and potential for revision. Consider alternatives such as "a tentative hypothesis" or "an initial supposition" depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a tentative hypothesis

Replaces "assumption" with "hypothesis", suggesting a more formal, testable starting point.

an initial supposition

Uses "supposition" instead of "assumption", implying a belief based on incomplete evidence.

a working premise

Substitutes "assumption" with "premise", highlighting its role as a foundation for reasoning.

a starting point

Replaces the entire phrase with a more general expression for the beginning of an investigation.

a basic presumption

Employs "presumption" instead of "assumption", indicating a belief held before investigation.

a provisional understanding

Changes the phrase to emphasize a temporary and evolving grasp of a concept.

a rough estimate

Substitutes the phrase with an expression implying a preliminary approximation.

an educated guess

Replaces the phrase with a more informal term for a reasoned but unproven belief.

a possible explanation

Shifts the focus to a potential reason or cause, rather than an underlying belief.

a suggested interpretation

Replaces the phrase with a proposed meaning or understanding, open to revision.

FAQs

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

You can use "a preliminary assumption" to introduce an idea that needs further investigation, like: "As "a preliminary assumption", we consider the data to be normally distributed."

What's a good alternative to "a preliminary assumption"?

Consider using phrases such as "a tentative hypothesis", "an initial supposition", or "a working premise" depending on the specific context.

What is the difference between "a preliminary assumption" and "a final conclusion"?

"A preliminary assumption" is an initial belief or starting point, while "a final conclusion" is a judgment reached after thorough investigation and analysis. The former is tentative; the latter is (ideally) definitive.

When is it appropriate to state "a preliminary assumption"?

It is appropriate to state "a preliminary assumption" at the beginning of a study, research paper, or discussion to set the stage for further exploration and to acknowledge that the starting point is not yet fully confirmed.