The phrase "an effort to mimic" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing an attempt to imitate or replicate something, whether in behavior, style, or function.
Example: "The artist made an effort to mimic the techniques of the old masters in her latest painting."
Alternatives: "a attempt to imitate" or "an endeavor to replicate".
Nocera's work is part of an effort to mimic photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into useful molecules.
The project, the paper said, was an effort to mimic Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's controversial move to give public and charter schools grades last year.
This is an effort to mimic what Costco calls the fence, oversize displays that shoppers must pass upon entering a store.
The appearance of the text and the skyline in the deep colors of sunset appear to be an effort to mimic the style of a movie poster.
Now, along with computer scientists from Princeton, Dr. Li, 36, has built the world's largest visual database in an effort to mimic the human vision system.
The rating board was founded in 1994 by the video-game industry's main trade organization in an effort to mimic Hollywood's popular system for rating big-studio films.
He then held back Ivana's arms, ripping chunks of hair out of her scalp in what seemed like a twisted effort to mimic his own pain.
That is a big difference from neural network software, another effort to mimic the brain that has so far had limited results.
Kevin Roberts, boss of Saatchi & Saatchi, an advertising agency, agrees that shopping at Wal-Mart is a "lousy" experience.This grubbiness is thought to have undermined Wal-Mart's recent effort to mimic Target by launching Metro 7, a line of fashionable women's clothing.
Mr. Bush's effort to mimic President Clinton by appropriating the other party's issues seemed to work.
After 9-11, the Bush Administration made every effort to mimic Israel's national security policies (as if Israel's never-ending war against the Palestinians and its Arab neighbors had some magic formula for fighting terrorism).
