ability to generalize

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ability to generalize" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing cognitive skills, learning processes, or data analysis where one refers to the capacity to apply knowledge or skills to new situations. Example: "The student's ability to generalize concepts learned in class to real-world scenarios impressed the teacher."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This sampling bias limits our ability to generalize our findings to the general population.

BMC Psychiatry

This may limit the ability to generalize our findings to the general population of older adults.

BMC Geriatrics

More specifically, missing data limited our ability to generalize the findings to the general population.

BioMed Research International

This ability to generalize across complex transformations is a hallmark of human visual intelligence.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The first pertains to the ability to generalize experimental results outside the laboratory.

Journal of Economic Psychology

We examined infants' ability to generalize effective actions in an imitation task.

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

Moreover, the ability to generalize can be easily controlled and robustness of outliers is obtained.

Pattern Recognition Letters

The ANNC has the ability to generalize and can interpolate in between the training data.

Applied Soft Computing

This may limit the ability to generalize the findings.

Fashion and Textiles

This may limit its ability to generalize to unseen data.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Our human ability to generalize makes us particularly adept at classifying sounds.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing research limitations, clearly articulate how factors like sample size or specific demographics affect the "ability to generalize" findings to a broader population. Provide specific examples to illustrate the limitations.

Common error

Avoid overstating the "ability to generalize" results from a limited study. Acknowledge the specific conditions and populations under which the findings are valid, and caution against broad, unsupported extrapolations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ability to generalize" functions as a noun phrase, describing a capability or capacity. Ludwig shows many examples where it's used to discuss the limitations of studies or the strengths of cognitive processes. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

79%

News & Media

11%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ability to generalize" is a frequently used and grammatically sound expression, as validated by Ludwig. Predominantly found in scientific, academic, and news contexts, it refers to the capacity to apply specific knowledge or findings broadly. Common limitations on this "ability to generalize" often stem from sample size, population diversity, or specific study conditions. As Ludwig examples reveal, the phrase often appears when discussing research validity and the scope of conclusions. Alternatives like "capacity for generalization" and "skill in generalizing" offer nuanced ways to express similar concepts, while it's crucial to avoid overstating the generalizability of results from limited studies.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

capacity for generalization

Focuses on the inherent capacity rather than the active ability.

skill in generalizing

Emphasizes the learned skill aspect of the ability.

aptitude for extrapolation

Highlights the extrapolation aspect, applying specific knowledge to broader contexts.

power of abstraction

Stresses the abstract thinking component of generalization.

potential to extrapolate

Refers to the potential or possibility of generalizing.

competence in applying broadly

Highlights competence and breadth of application.

facility for transfer of learning

Focuses on the transfer of knowledge from one context to another.

capability to extend knowledge

Emphasizes expanding the scope of understanding.

talent for broad application

Highlights the natural talent for wide-ranging application.

strength in deriving general principles

Focuses on the strength in deducing overarching principles.

FAQs

How can the "ability to generalize" research findings be improved?

Increasing sample size, using diverse populations, and conducting studies in multiple settings can enhance the "ability to generalize" research findings.

What factors can limit the "ability to generalize" study results?

Small sample sizes, homogeneous populations, specific study settings, and unique intervention protocols are factors that can limit the "ability to generalize" study results.

What is the difference between external validity and the "ability to generalize"?

External validity refers to the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and people. Therefore, the "ability to generalize" is a key component of external validity.

How is the "ability to generalize" relevant in machine learning?

In machine learning, the "ability to generalize" refers to a model's capacity to accurately predict outcomes on new, unseen data after being trained on a specific dataset.