biased upward

USAGE SUMMARY

"biased upward" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It typically means that something or someone has a tendency or inclination to favor a certain direction or perspective, often in a positive or optimistic manner. Example: The statistics presented in the report were biased upward, showing a higher success rate for the new product than what was actually observed in the market.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Averages, though, are only part of the story, as they can be biased upward by a small number of high earners while many others make nothing.

The New York Times

With the larger sample size, we can now say almost without question that the jobs creation estimates put forward by economists have been biased upward.

The New York Times

But so does the claim that the failure to fix the raw numbers for the impact of age composition had biased upward the mortality rate that Case and Deaton originally reported.

The New Yorker

If one systematically deletes goods that change in quality, the price index will tend to be biased upward if quality is improving on the average and downward if it is deteriorating on the average.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Whether or not a failure to make sufficient allowance for improvements in the quality of goods causes most price indexes to be biased upward is a matter of dispute.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Spearman Kärber estimator might be biased upward for OPA titer estimation.

Computational Statistics & Data Analysis

13However, we suspect that the underlying GDP and employment figures for Belarus might be biased upward.

IZA Journal of Migration

Additionally, variance estimates are biased upward, resulting in large type II errors when testing the effect of independent variables.

Journal of Dairy Science

Thus findings and results in the previous literature based on CFS as measures of crime may be biased upward.

Crime Science

One strong conclusion of this literature review is that cross-sectional ordinary least squares (OLS) returns to adult training are biased upward.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Similarly, for both men and women, β ̂ 2 is reasonably similar in columns (a) and (b), but appears biased upward in the (c) columns.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "biased upward", ensure you provide context about what is being biased and the factors contributing to this bias. This adds clarity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "biased upward" to imply deliberate manipulation without sufficient evidence. Bias can arise from unintentional methodological flaws or inherent limitations in data collection.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "biased upward" primarily functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, describing a tendency for a value or estimate to be higher than its true or expected value. Ludwig's examples demonstrate this use in various contexts, including statistical analysis and economic reporting.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

62%

News & Media

17%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "biased upward" is a common phrase used to describe a systematic overestimation in data or estimates. As indicated by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and frequently appears in scientific, news, and encyclopedia sources. The phrase indicates the presence of a consistent error leading to inflated values, cautioning against taking results at face value. Alternatives include "skewed upward" and "overestimated", though each carries slightly different nuances. When using the phrase, provide context to clarify the source and nature of the bias. Remember that bias doesn't necessarily imply intentional manipulation, but rather can arise from unintentional flaws.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

skewed upward

Focuses on the distortion or imbalance that causes an upward leaning.

inflated

Implies an artificial increase or exaggeration of a value or measurement.

overestimated

Directly indicates an assessment that is higher than the actual value.

exaggerated upward

Emphasizes the act of making something appear larger or more significant in an upward direction.

inclined upward

Suggests a natural or inherent tendency to move or point upward.

tilted upward

Describes a shift or angle resulting in an upward orientation.

leaning positive

Indicates a bias towards a positive outcome or perspective.

overstated

Highlights that something is expressed in an exaggerated way.

artificially raised

Suggests a deliberate or unnatural increase in something.

pushed higher

Implies an external force causing an increase in something.

FAQs

How can I use "biased upward" in a sentence?

You can use "biased upward" to describe estimates, results, or data that tend to be higher than the true value. For example, "The initial unemployment figures were "biased upward" due to a flawed sampling method."

What's the difference between "biased upward" and "skewed upward"?

"Biased upward" suggests a consistent error leading to overestimation, while "skewed upward" refers to a distortion in the distribution of data, pushing it towards higher values.

What are some alternatives to using "biased upward"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "overestimated", "inflated", or "exaggerated" instead of "biased upward".

Why might data be "biased upward"?

Data can be "biased upward" due to factors like selection bias, measurement errors, or confounding variables that systematically inflate the results.