a short overview of

USAGE SUMMARY

'a short overview of' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are introducing a brief summary of a topic. For example, "This article provides a short overview of the history of the automobile."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

If possible, they should work together to write a short overview of the decade that reflects their artifacts.

The New York Times

Section II gives a short overview of financial time series.

Journal of Big Data

We give a short overview of existing visualization methods.

Journal of Cheminformatics

We provide a short overview of these here.

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience

A short overview of recently proposed techniques is presented.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

The paper is devoted to a short overview of these models.

Advances in Space Research

A short overview of their main features is reported in the following.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

The following gives a short overview of the mathematical basis of LDA.

Urban Rail Transit

Table2 gives a short overview of some parameters of these storage technologies.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Section 4 discusses our empirical strategy and gives a short overview of our data.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

Finally, a short overview of the multiple flexible ligand alignment module is given.

Chemistry Central Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider your audience; if they are already familiar with the topic, a shorter overview might suffice, but if they are new to it, you may need to provide slightly more context.

Common error

A common mistake is offering "a short overview of" a topic without providing enough background information for the reader to understand the summary fully. Always gauge your audience's existing knowledge and adjust the context accordingly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a short overview of" functions as an introductory phrase. It indicates that the following content will present a summary or a condensed explanation of a particular subject. Ludwig's examples show it commonly appears at the beginning of sections or papers to set the scope for the reader.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

79%

News & Media

12%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a short overview of" is a commonly used phrase to introduce a brief summary or introduction to a topic, as validated by Ludwig AI. It's grammatically sound and versatile, appearing across different domains, though it is more frequently encountered in scientific and academic writing. When using this phrase, ensure the subsequent content is genuinely concise and provides sufficient context for the reader. Some alternatives are a concise summary of and a brief introduction to.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a concise summary of

Replaces 'short overview' with 'concise summary', emphasizing brevity and essential points.

a brief introduction to

Focuses on the introductory aspect rather than a complete overview, implying a starting point.

a quick rundown of

More informal, suggesting a rapid and casual explanation.

a snapshot of

Conveys a partial and immediate view, like a photograph.

a thumbnail sketch of

Implies a very small and basic description.

an outline of

Focuses on the structure and main points, excluding details.

a summary of the basics of

Extends the original phrase specifying that only the basics will be summarized.

a bird's-eye view of

Indicates a high-level perspective, lacking specific details.

the highlights of

Focuses on the most important or interesting aspects.

a précis of

A more formal and concise summary.

FAQs

How can I use "a short overview of" in a sentence?

You can introduce a summary by saying, "This section provides "a short overview of" the key concepts." It signals to the reader that you will present a brief summary.

What are some alternatives to "a short overview of"?

Consider using alternatives like "a concise summary of", "a brief introduction to", or "a quick rundown of" depending on the level of detail and formality required.

Is it redundant to say "a brief short overview of"?

Yes, using both "brief" and "short" is redundant since they convey similar meanings. Stick to either ""a short overview of"" or "a brief overview of" for conciseness.

When should I use "a short overview of" versus a more detailed explanation?

Use ""a short overview of"" when you need to provide a summary or highlight key points without going into extensive detail. If the topic requires a thorough understanding, a more detailed explanation is necessary.