an initial search of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an initial search of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the first step in investigating or examining something, often in research or data analysis contexts. Example: "After conducting an initial search of the database, we found several relevant articles."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

The police have said nothing suspicious was found in an initial search of the house.

The New York Times

Having completed an initial search of the village, most of the Vietnamese soldiers had few immediate tasks to perform.

The New Yorker

Late last night, she led detectives to a trash bin in Queens where she said she disposed of the baby's body, but an initial search of the area turned up nothing.

The New York Times

Last month, officials carried out an initial search of the pool, more than 900 square feet of borated water, 40 feet deep, where old fuel rods and other radioactive garbage and debris are kept.

The New York Times

In 2009, though, after an initial search of the house, the police detained 25 people, ranging in age from 22 to 67, with homegrown roots in the northern suburbs of Paris.

The New York Times

Earlier this week, Australia announced that the operation was entering a new phase, after an initial search of the area where acoustic signals thought to be from "black box" flight recorders were heard found nothing.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

Identification of nontryptic fragments was performed manually with an initial search on the basis of predicted peptide masses of all possible fragments resulting from novel cleavage sites in the hinge region.

Breast Cancer Research

Conduct an initial search on your search engine of choice, and choose 3 or 4 websites from your search results.

The New York Times

The inverse solver performs an initial search for the location of the channels along the length of the cilium using the asymptotic formulas from Badamdorj et al. [20].

Plosone

Eight RCTs from an initial search count of 851 titles were selected, and data extraction was performed.

Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Ismail [9] proposed a dynamic early stop search termination (DESST) by considering a SAD value of an initial search center (ISC) of a current block and the average SAD values of ISCs in all the previous coded blocks.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing research methodologies, clearly state the databases or sources used during "an initial search of" the literature to enhance transparency and reproducibility.

Common error

Avoid presenting "an initial search of" a topic as an exhaustive review. Clearly indicate that it was a preliminary step, and further investigation may be needed to get a more complete view.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an initial search of" functions as a noun phrase, where "initial" modifies "search". It describes the act of beginning an investigation or examination. As Ludwig AI states, it is generally considered correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an initial search of" is a commonly used and grammatically correct way to describe a preliminary investigation or exploration. It's frequently found in scientific and news contexts and serves to indicate the starting point of a more extensive analysis. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in writing. Remember to use the phrase to clearly indicate that the search was not exhaustive and that further investigation may be necessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a preliminary investigation into

Changes the noun from "search" to "investigation", implying a more structured and formal approach.

an exploratory review of

Replaces "search" with "review", suggesting a more analytical and comprehensive initial assessment.

a first look at

Uses more informal language, suitable for less formal contexts.

a starting assessment of

Highlights the evaluation component of the initial search.

an opening exploration of

Replaces "search" with "exploration", suggesting a journey of discovery.

a cursory examination of

Implies a brief and not very detailed investigation.

a primary screening of

Emphasizes the filtering aspect of the initial examination.

a basic scan of

Indicates a quick and superficial examination.

a swift perusal of

Suggests a rapid and efficient initial reading or examination.

an early reconnaissance of

Uses military jargon to mean exploring or gaining information about an area.

FAQs

How can I use "an initial search of" in a sentence?

You can use "an initial search of" to describe the first step in investigating something. For example, "An initial search of the archives revealed some interesting documents."

What are some alternatives to "an initial search of"?

Alternatives include "a preliminary investigation into", "a first look at", or "an exploratory review of", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "an initial search of" in formal writing?

Yes, "an initial search of" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when describing research methodologies or investigations. However, consider more formal alternatives like "a preliminary investigation into" if the context demands it.

What does "an initial search of" imply about the scope of the search?

"An initial search of" implies that the search was a starting point and not necessarily comprehensive. It suggests that further investigation may be required for a more thorough understanding.