as a crude indicator

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a crude indicator" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a rough or approximate measure of something, often in a context where precision is not required. Example: "The number of social media followers can serve as a crude indicator of a brand's popularity."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Still, HOMA-IR should be regarded as a crude indicator of insulin sensitivity (42).

European Journal of Endocrinology

Level of education was used as a crude indicator of socioeconomic status.

BMC Pediatrics

We had no direct information on menopausal status, but used 50 years of age as a crude indicator.

British Journal of Cancer

As the perinatal mortality rate is used as a crude indicator of quality of intrapartum and early postnatal care, perinatal audit can compare clinical practice against a defined standard of care, and subsequently recommend, implement and monitor changes to remedy deficiencies [ 118].

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Using residential telephone listings as a crude indicator of overall proportions of Bradys and non-Bradys within the catchment area of the study centre, the proportion of pacemaker recipients among Bradys (eight (1.38%) of 579) was significantly higher than among non-Bradys (991 (0.61%) of 161 388; P=0.03, using Fisher's exact test).

British Medical Journal

To investigate whether the association could vary by menopausal status at diagnosis, we conducted separate analyses with follow-up until 50 years of age (<50 years) and beyond 50 years (⩾50 years), using 50 years as a crude indicator for menopausal status.

British Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

As such, it is a crude indicator of heterogeneity by quantifying the proportion of a tumour that has demonstrable delivery and retention of contrast agent.

British Journal of Cancer

Current filtering software can identify pornographic sites only by looking at the words they contain, which is a crude indicator.

The New York Times

They warn, however, that the fertility of mouse pups born from the lab-grown sperm was a "crude indicator" of their health, and that subtle genetic changes in the sperm "could be pivotal for the wellbeing of subsequent generations".

The Guardian

A crude indicator is how long relatives lasted.

Forbes

But spending alone is a crude indicator of military capability.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a crude indicator" when you want to acknowledge that a particular measurement or assessment is not precise, but still provides useful information. It's effective in contexts where more accurate data isn't available or necessary.

Common error

Avoid presenting something "as a crude indicator" while simultaneously implying high precision or definitive conclusions. This diminishes credibility. Always acknowledge the inherent limitations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a crude indicator" functions as an adverbial phrase that modifies a verb or clause. Ludwig demonstrates its use to qualify the reliability of a measurement or assessment, signaling that it is approximate and not definitive. It acknowledges the limitations of a particular metric.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as a crude indicator" is used to present a measurement or assessment while acknowledging its imprecision. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically correct and suitable when precise data is unavailable or unnecessary. It's most commonly found in scientific and news media, and while it is understandable in most contexts, it signals that reliability may be limited. Consider alternative phrases like "rough estimate" or "approximate gauge" depending on the context to add clarity and prevent misinterpretation. Avoid overstating the reliability of something described "as a crude indicator" to maintain credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rough estimate

Replaces "indicator" with a more direct term for approximation, focusing on numerical assessment.

rough approximation

Focuses on the inexact nature of the estimate, replacing "indicator" with a synonym.

approximate gauge

Substitutes "crude" with "approximate" and "indicator" with "gauge", implying a less refined but still functional measure.

basic measure

Replaces "crude indicator" with a simpler, more general term for a fundamental measurement.

imprecise metric

Uses "imprecise" to highlight the lack of accuracy and "metric" to suggest a quantitative aspect.

general indication

Shifts the focus to providing a broad signal rather than a precise measurement.

preliminary assessment

Emphasizes the initial and potentially incomplete nature of the evaluation.

cursory evaluation

Highlights the superficial and quick nature of the assessment.

elementary benchmark

Suggests a simple standard for comparison, with a connotation of being foundational.

high-level read

Implies a quick, top-down understanding without deep detail.

FAQs

How can I use "as a crude indicator" in a sentence?

You can use "as a crude indicator" to describe something that provides a rough or approximate measurement. For example, "While not perfect, website traffic can serve as a crude indicator of marketing campaign success".

What's a good alternative to "as a crude indicator"?

Alternatives include "rough estimate", "approximate gauge", or "basic measure" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "as a crude indicator"?

It's appropriate when you want to acknowledge that a measure is not precise but still provides some useful information or general sense of something. It's often used when precise data is unavailable or unnecessary.

What does it mean to say something is "as a crude indicator"?

It means that the thing being described is a simple or approximate way of measuring or understanding something, and it should not be relied upon for precise analysis. It is useful as a starting point.