academics were asked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "academics were asked" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a situation where individuals in the academic field were requested to provide their opinions, insights, or information on a particular topic. Example: "In the recent survey, academics were asked to share their views on the future of education technology."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Decision makers and planning practitioners from regional and local authorities, as well as academics, were asked to assess through a scoring procedure the importance of a base set of sustainability indicators to monitor the effects of a spatial plan.

Journal of Cleaner Production

Dr. Woods, an administrator in the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, reminded the young women of research in which academics were asked to judge the otherwise identical résumés of people who were identified as Ken, Karen or K.

The New York Times - Science

Similar concepts were reported when academics were asked about what they emphasize in their work, with many additionally citing the importance of sustainability.

Global Health Action

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In a confidential survey of the UK's Russell Group universities, the Guardian found cases of British academics being asked to leave EU-funded projects or to step down from leadership roles because they are considered a financial liability.

The Guardian

In a confidential survey of the UK's Russell Group universities, the Guardian found cases of British academics being asked to leave EU-funded projects or to step down from leadership roles amid doubts over the UK's ability to win future project grants.

The Guardian - Business

Due to ongoing archival work, access to the archives is restricted, and professionals and academics are asked to submit research requests to the foundation well in advance.

Vice

The talk was modeled after an ongoing series of lectures where top academics are asked to think deeply about what matters to them, and then give a hypothetical "final talk", with a topic such as "what wisdom would you try to impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?" Before speaking, Pausch received a long standing ovation from a large crowd of over 400 colleagues and students.

Wikipedia

She will not bring to the table the firepower that many liberal academics are asking for.

The Economist

Many academics are asking, "Why doesn't the President focus on K-12, where we have a real problem, instead of beating up on our colleges and universities".

Huffington Post

The Council on Foreign Relations began in 1917 with a group of New York academics who were asked by President Woodrow Wilson to offer options for the foreign policy of the United States in the interwar period.

Wikipedia

In the survey, academic leaders were asked to indicate the design elements of their general education programs — and they could list more than one such element.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "academics were asked", ensure the context clearly specifies the topic about which they were consulted. For instance, specify "academics were asked about their research findings" to provide clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "academics were asked" without specifying the subject or purpose of the inquiry. Vague phrasing reduces the sentence's impact and leaves the reader questioning the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "academics were asked" functions as a passive construction, indicating that academics are the recipients of an action. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in formal writing. The phrase highlights the involvement of academics in providing insights or information.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

34%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "academics were asked" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, commonly found in academic, scientific, and news contexts. It serves to indicate that experts were consulted for their opinions or insights, lending credibility to the information presented. While "academics were asked" is generally correct, remember to provide context on the topic or purpose of the inquiry to ensure clarity and impact. Alternative phrases such as "scholars were surveyed" or "faculty members were consulted" can add nuance to the meaning. The phrase's versatility makes it suitable for diverse writing scenarios, reinforcing its usefulness in formal and informal communications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scholars were surveyed

Substitutes "academics" with "scholars" and "asked" with "surveyed", emphasizing a formal inquiry.

researchers were polled

Replaces "academics" with "researchers" and "asked" with "polled", focusing on a survey context.

faculty members were consulted

Replaces "academics" with "faculty members" and "asked" with "consulted", highlighting expert advice.

the academic community was queried

Rephrases to include "academic community" and uses "queried" to suggest a direct line of questioning.

experts were canvassed

Changes "academics" to the broader term "experts" and uses "canvassed" instead of "asked", indicating a thorough solicitation of opinions.

university professors were interviewed

More specific, replacing "academics" with "university professors" and "asked" with "interviewed".

leading academics were solicited for their opinions

Adds "leading" to emphasize expertise and specifies that their "opinions" were sought.

higher education professionals were surveyed

Broadens the scope to "higher education professionals" and uses "surveyed".

subject matter experts were polled

Focuses on "subject matter experts" and uses "polled", indicating a data-gathering exercise.

professors were invited to comment

Replaces "academics" with "professors" and shifts from a passive "asked" to an active "invited to comment".

FAQs

How can I rephrase "academics were asked" to sound more formal?

Consider using alternatives like "scholars were surveyed" or "faculty members were consulted" to achieve a more formal tone.

What's the difference between "academics were asked" and "academics were surveyed"?

"Academics were asked" is a general term indicating a request for information or opinion. "Academics were surveyed" specifically implies a structured data collection process, often involving questionnaires.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "academics were asked"?

The phrase is suitable in contexts such as research reports, news articles, and academic papers where the opinions or expertise of academics are sought on a particular subject.

What are some synonyms for "asked" in the phrase "academics were asked"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "consulted", "surveyed", "polled", or "interviewed".