as a general indicator

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a general indicator" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to suggest that something serves as a broad or overall sign of a particular trend or condition. Example: "As a general indicator, the rising temperatures suggest that climate change is becoming more pronounced."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

None of the investigated taxa reflected the species numbers or community similarities of the other taxa well enough to qualify as a general indicator for biodiversity.

Biological Conservation

I've asked when they'll be back on the market, but for now you can take this review as a general indicator of the quality of Ernest Alexander bags.

TechCrunch

The median lethal dose, LD50, is frequently used as a general indicator of a substance's acute toxicity, and there is a high demand on developing non-animal-based prediction of LD50.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Since genetics and evolution both can be considered as core ideas of the 20th and 21st century biology, literacy in one of the two areas is treated as a general indicator for literacy (Miller et al. [2006]).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Mozilla, Google, Microsoft and WebKit all made separate but similar announcements on their blogs, essentially that the old versions, 1.0 and 1.1, will be phased out by early 2020 — March specifically for some, which we can take as a general indicator for the others.

TechCrunch

The upfront payments don't obligate anyone to bid, but they do determine the maximum amount of spectrum and the number of markets that a participant can bid on, known as their maximum eligibility, and they are used by auction watchers as a general indicator for how active a participant might be.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

Thus, such a general indicator as Business Expenditure on R&D is unavailable for Armenia.

Triple Helix

They can have different purposes, ranging from deciding which students go on to which secondary or postsecondary school, to being a core component of accountability systems, designed to find out which schools are doing a better job than others, to acting as a more general indicator of how well a province, a region, or a country is doing over time.

International Encyclopedia of Education

Trust in others is regarded as a very general indicator of social capital.

Global Health Action

As an alternative general indicator of changes in land use patterns we examined population data going back to 1961 (available in relatively small Census units: parishes in the 1960s, wards between the early 1970s and early 2000s).

Environmental Science & Technology

Although plants were involved in most of the significant correlations we cannot recommend a particular taxon as a general diversity indicator.

Ecological Indicators

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "as a general indicator", ensure that you clarify what specific aspect the indicator represents to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify "Body Mass Index as a general indicator of body fatness".

Common error

Avoid presenting something "as a general indicator" as a definitive or absolute measure. Qualify its limitations and potential inaccuracies, acknowledging that it provides a broad indication rather than a precise measurement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a general indicator" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a noun or noun phrase, specifying its role as a broad or overall sign of something. Ludwig AI provides examples from various domains showcasing this function.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "as a general indicator" serves to present something as a broad measure or sign of a particular condition or trend. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used across various domains, especially in scientific and news contexts. While versatile, it's crucial to clarify what aspect the indicator represents and acknowledge its limitations to prevent overgeneralization. Alternatives include phrases like "as a broad gauge" or "as a common measure", offering similar meanings with subtle differences in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as a broad gauge

Replaces "indicator" with "gauge", implying a measurement tool but maintaining the overall sense.

as a common measure

Substitutes "general" with "common" and "indicator" with "measure", focusing on typicality and quantification.

as an overall signal

Replaces "general" with "overall" and "indicator" with "signal", suggesting a comprehensive indication.

as a typical marker

Similar to 'common measure', using marker.

as a basic sign

Replaces "general" with "basic" and "indicator" with "sign", simplifying the language.

as a primary index

More formal, substituting 'general' with 'primary' and 'indicator' with 'index'.

as a rule of thumb

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey a similar meaning of a simple, practical guide.

as a rough guide

Implies that the indicator is not precise but still useful.

as a standard benchmark

Suggests a point of reference to measure against.

as a representative example

Focuses on the indicative element representing the group.

FAQs

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

You can use "as a general indicator" to introduce a broad measure or sign of a particular trend or condition. For example, "Rising temperatures serve "as a general indicator" of climate change".

What phrases are similar to "as a general indicator"?

Alternatives include "as a broad gauge", "as a common measure", or "as a basic sign", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "as a general indicator" in formal writing?

Yes, "as a general indicator" is appropriate for formal writing, particularly in scientific or technical contexts where broad measures are often discussed. However, ensure the indicator's limitations are acknowledged.

How does "as a general indicator" differ from "as a specific indicator"?

"As a general indicator" implies a broad, overall sign, while "as a specific indicator" suggests a more precise, targeted measure. Use "as a specific indicator" when referring to something that directly and accurately reflects a particular aspect.