a small sample of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a small sample of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a limited quantity or representation of a larger group or dataset. Example: "In this study, we collected a small sample of participants to analyze their responses."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Here is a small sample of events and locations.

The New York Times

Here's a small sample of the discourse.

The New York Times

You looked at a small sample of economists.

Princeton University

And this is only a small sample of the ideas I heard about.

The New Yorker

The three properties here are a small sample of what is available.

The New York Times

Standardized tests indirectly assess only a small sample of any area of learning.

The New York Times

That's just a small sample of his goofy and ecstatic foolishness.

The New York Times

It requires only a small sample of fish tissue placed in an enzyme.

The New York Times - Science

Here's just a small sample of how the NBA world responded to Dr. Jerry Buss's passing.

The Guardian - Sport

I took a small sample of Dockers' sputum and examined it closely.

The New Yorker

It is based on a small sample of European companies.

Research Policy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Provide context about how the "small sample" was obtained. Transparency in your methodology builds credibility.

Common error

Avoid drawing broad conclusions based solely on "a small sample of" data. Always acknowledge the limitations of your sample size and suggest further research with larger samples.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a small sample of" functions as a determiner phrase. It introduces a noun and specifies that it is a limited portion of a larger whole. As Ludwig AI confirms, this expression is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

23%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a small sample of" is a versatile and grammatically sound phrase used to denote a limited selection from a larger set. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread use. It commonly appears in news, academic, and scientific contexts, signaling that only a portion of something is being considered. When using this phrase, it's crucial to avoid overgeneralization and be transparent about your sampling methodology. Alternatives like "a limited selection of" or "a brief excerpt from" can offer nuanced variations depending on the desired emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a limited selection of

Replaces "sample" with "selection", emphasizing the act of choosing a subset.

a small portion of

Replaces "sample" with "portion", suggesting a part of a whole.

a brief excerpt from

Substitutes "sample" with "excerpt", highlighting that the selection is a part taken from a larger work.

a limited subset of

Replaces "sample" with "subset", emphasizing the mathematical concept of a set contained within a larger set.

a handful of

Uses a more informal term to indicate a small quantity.

a concise selection of

Highlights the brevity and selectivity of the sample.

a representative selection of

Adds the idea that the sample is chosen to accurately reflect the larger group.

a fragment of

Emphasizes that it is only a small piece of the whole.

a token sample of

Implies the sample is symbolic or merely representative.

a miniature representation of

Indicates that the sample is a scaled-down version of something larger.

FAQs

How can I use "a small sample of" in a sentence?

You can use "a small sample of" to introduce a limited selection from a larger group, like in the sentence, "This analysis is based on "a small sample of" customer reviews."

What's a good alternative to "a small sample of"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "a limited selection of", "a brief excerpt from", or "a handful of".

Is it okay to say "a small sample of data"?

Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to say "a small sample of data". The phrase is commonly used in research and analysis to indicate that only a portion of the available data was examined.

How does the size of "a small sample of" impact its reliability?

The smaller the sample, the less likely it is to accurately represent the entire population. Results obtained from ""a small sample of"" should be interpreted with caution and may not be generalizable.