as a preliminary indication

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a preliminary indication" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when providing an initial assessment or signal about something before further details or analysis are provided. Example: "As a preliminary indication, the results suggest that the new treatment may be effective in reducing symptoms."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The objective here was to determine the in vitro metabolic stability of these two compounds using human liver microsomes as a preliminary indication of their likely in vivo metabolic clearance and potential metabolic products.

Natural Products and Bioprospecting

In this case, the results of a significance test should only be used as a preliminary indication that a nematode responds to a particular chemical.

Plosone

value of cosmetics directive [ 17] Comparison of the modelled exposure concentrations with the NOAELs enabled calculation of a margin of exposure (MOE) as a preliminary indication of potential risk.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

The value ranges that we provide based on our pilot testing (Table  1) serve as a preliminary indication of how neglect patients and healthy controls differ on different measures, and should not be treated as a clinical directive.

Behavior Research Methods

While this result is important for our planned modeling activity, we believe it also serves as a preliminary indication that the TREC definition of care unit may be important for those who manage nursing homes.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

An item that was distributed across levels was judged to be contributing valuable information to the measure and this performance was considered as a preliminary indication of its ability to capture different severity levels.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Although a full treatment of these issues is beyond the scope of this essay, a preliminary indication of how they might be addressed can be provided.

SEP

The sense and force of these questions, and the main features of the kind of answer given by natural law theories, can be given a preliminary indication.

SEP

However, the sequence analysis only gave a preliminary indication of the function of TaLCYB.

BMC Plant Biology

This ratio provided a preliminary indication of the relative implementation effectiveness of MOVE! across facilities.

BMC Health Services Research

Our data might give a preliminary indication for a longer survival of lung cancer patients with lower PTN serum levels as compared to the survival of lung cancer patients with higher PTN serum levels (not shown).

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a preliminary indication" to introduce findings that are subject to change or further investigation. This manages expectations and maintains transparency.

Common error

Avoid presenting preliminary indications as definitive conclusions. Always emphasize the tentative nature of the findings to prevent misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a preliminary indication" functions as an introductory element, signaling that the information presented is an initial assessment and may be subject to change. Ludwig shows this often precedes a more detailed explanation or analysis.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as a preliminary indication" is a grammatically correct phrase used to introduce an initial assessment or early sign. While not exceedingly common, it finds frequent application in scientific, news-related, and business contexts. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase serves to manage expectations, signaling that the information presented is tentative and subject to further investigation. When using this phrase, remember to avoid overstating the significance of the indication and ensure it aligns with the overall tone of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as an initial assessment

Replaces 'indication' with 'assessment' maintaining a formal and analytical tone.

as an initial sign

Replaces 'indication' with 'sign', emphasizing the role of the phrase as an early signal.

as an early signal

Directly indicates that the phrase is meant to convey an early warning or hint.

as a first glimpse

Emphasizes the initial and often incomplete nature of the information provided.

as a tentative sign

Highlights the uncertainty associated with the initial assessment.

as an initial clue

Positions the phrase as an early piece of evidence.

as a starting point

Shifts the focus to the role of the phrase as the beginning of an investigation or analysis.

as a surface-level signal

Indicates that only a basic understanding is available based on current information.

as a rough estimate

Highlights the approximate nature of the assessment.

as a working hypothesis

Frames the assessment as a basis for further investigation.

FAQs

How can I use "as a preliminary indication" in a sentence?

You can use "as a preliminary indication" to introduce an early sign or assessment that requires further investigation. For example, "As a preliminary indication, the results suggest a correlation between diet and health."

What phrases are similar to "as a preliminary indication"?

Alternatives include /s/as+an+initial+sign, /s/as+a+first+glimpse, or /s/as+a+tentative+sign, all suggesting an early or incomplete assessment.

Is "as a preliminary indication" formal or informal?

"As a preliminary indication" is generally considered formal and suitable for academic, scientific, or professional contexts. In informal settings, you might use phrases like "it seems" or "it looks like".

What's the difference between "as a preliminary indication" and "as a final indication"?

"As a preliminary indication" suggests an early, potentially incomplete assessment, while "as a final indication" implies a conclusive assessment after thorough investigation.