an item of data

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an item of data" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a single piece of information or a specific datum within a larger dataset. Example: "In our research, we collected an item of data that significantly impacted our findings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Data provenance is the history of an item of data from the point of its creation to its present state.

Harvard University

It is a known fact of forensic practice that as many as 50% of all road accidents are caused by a person under the influence of alcohol [ 16], an item of data comparable to our experience.

BMC Public Health

An item of data provides a subject with incremental evidence for or against a hypothesis to the extent that receiving the data increases or decreases her total evidence for the truth of the hypothesis.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

And what is wrong with datum for a single item of data?

The Guardian

The four measures of incremental support can disagree over the comparative degree to which a single item of data incrementally confirms two distinct hypotheses.

SEP

Every time you hear a warning beep, another item of data is recorded.

HuffPost

Of course, had the empirical test been negative, this would have meant that at least one item of data (a molecule), or possibly additional EVFs, were missing in the initial aggregate.

Plosone

We read and annotated free text data, developed provisional analytical categories, and iteratively refined these in team discussions using the constant comparative method that is, comparing each new item of data with an emerging picture of the case as a whole.

British Medical Journal

Accuracy is a measure of correctness of each item of data collected [ 8, 9].

BMC Health Services Research

Turning now to the subject of transparency, which European citizens are aware that, when they board an aircraft, 34 items of data, including information about what they have to eat and where they sit, are transferred?

EU Parlament

A list is simply an ordered sequence of items of data.

Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using "a data point" as a more concise and commonly accepted alternative in technical contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "an item of data" without specifying what the data represents. Be specific about its relevance to your argument or analysis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an item of data" functions as a noun phrase. It identifies a singular, specific piece of information. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is usable in written English, highlighting its role in providing clarity within discussions or analyses.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an item of data" refers to a single piece of information within a larger dataset. Ludwig confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and appropriate for use in written English. While not as common as alternatives like "a data point", it serves a valuable purpose in academic, scientific, and technical contexts. When using this phrase, specificity and clarity are key to effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a data point

This alternative is a more concise and commonly used term in data analysis and statistics.

a piece of information

This alternative broadens the scope to include any kind of information, not just numerical or structured data.

a data element

This alternative is often used in the context of databases and data structures.

an element of data

This alternative phrase changes word order, emphasizing that data is composed of individual elements.

a single datum

This alternative uses the singular form of 'data', which is 'datum', making the phrase more formal and emphasizing its singularity.

a data record

This alternative emphasizes the recording aspect of data, usually employed when referring to databases.

a unit of data

This alternative stresses the indivisible character of the information.

a data fragment

This alternative describes a smaller, possibly incomplete, piece of data.

a bit of data

This alternative is used when referring to a small, often insignificant, amount of data.

a data sample

This alternative refers to a small amount of data extracted from a large amount of data.

FAQs

What is the best way to use "an item of data" in a sentence?

Use "an item of data" when you want to emphasize a single piece of information within a larger dataset. For example: "Each survey response represents "an item of data" crucial to our analysis."

What can I say instead of "an item of data"?

You can use alternatives like "a data point", "a piece of information", or "a single datum" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "an item of data" or "a piece of data"?

Both "an item of data" and "a piece of data" are grammatically correct. The choice often depends on stylistic preference. The latter is often perceived as more common.

What's the difference between "an item of data" and "a data point"?

"An item of data" is a more general term for a single piece of information. "A data point" is typically used in statistical or analytical contexts to refer to a specific value in a dataset.