could be spurious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "could be spurious" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the possibility that something may be false, misleading, or not genuine. Example: "The results of the experiment could be spurious, as the sample size was too small to draw any definitive conclusions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

As a consequence, PPP rejections could be spurious.

Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena

Hal Varian believes the relationship between stock returns and the ruling party could be spurious.

The Economist

Vaccination of gilts against PRRSV increased the odds of PMWS expression and vaccination of sows against atrophic rhinitis was related to decreased odds of the disease; however, the possibility that those two factors could be spurious effects (due to the small sample size) or confounding variables cannot be ruled out.

Preventive Veterinary Medicine

Positive estimates in this specification test would then suggest that estimates of the impact on subsequent earnings could be spurious.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

The first was that trends started to work "out of sample" -- this means that anyone can play around with historic data and find relationships that could be spurious.

Forbes

Yet, there is also evidence pointing to a null relationship between age and ToM abilities and BPs (Donohoe et al. 2012; Inoue et al. 2004), and the effect we found could be spurious.

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

The trend could also be spurious.

The New York Times

Studies based on very small sample sizes (<50 cases or person-years at risk) were excluded because the percentage age-distributions could easily be spurious.

Plosone

We note that these correlations could well be spurious, given that we did not control for multiple comparisons; we simply describe the obtained effect sizes.

Behavior Research Methods

Some or all of the protective effect of younger age at infection [ 14, 19] found in cross-sectional studies of fibrosis progression could therefore be spurious.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Could these correlations be spurious technical, microarray artifacts, for example by base composition of the probe?

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "could be spurious" when you want to suggest that a relationship or result might not be causally linked or is potentially misleading because of an unmeasured or confounding variable.

Common error

Avoid using "could be spurious" as a blanket statement to dismiss findings without offering specific reasons or alternative explanations. Always provide context to support your assertion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "could be spurious" functions as a hedge, expressing uncertainty about the validity or accuracy of a particular finding or association. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it's often used in scientific and analytical contexts to suggest caution in interpreting results. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

88%

News & Media

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "could be spurious" serves as a crucial linguistic tool for expressing uncertainty and encouraging critical evaluation, particularly within analytical and scientific domains. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and prevalence in diverse contexts. While the expression is common in Science and News & Media domains, writers should avoid overuse without justification. Always provide context and specify alternative explanations whenever you make such claims. Related phrases like "might be inaccurate" or "may be misleading" can offer subtle variations in meaning. By understanding the nuances of "could be spurious", writers can enhance their precision and credibility, as demonstrated by the examples within Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might be invalid

Emphasizes the potential lack of legal or factual basis.

may be inaccurate

Focuses on the potential for factual errors.

might be unfounded

Highlights the lack of a solid basis or evidence.

may be deceptive

Suggests an intention to mislead.

could be erroneous

Indicates the possibility of containing errors.

might be fallacious

Focuses on the potential for logical flaws.

may be misleading

Highlights the potential to cause misunderstanding.

might be unreliable

Implies a lack of trustworthiness or dependability.

could be questionable

Suggests doubts about validity or accuracy.

may not be genuine

Questions the authenticity or originality.

FAQs

What does it mean when something "could be spurious"?

When something "could be spurious", it means there's a chance that it's not genuine, valid, or accurately reflects the situation. It suggests the possibility of a misleading or false association.

How can I use "could be spurious" in a sentence?

You can use "could be spurious" to express the possibility that a relationship or finding isn't what it seems, such as: "The correlation between these two variables "could be spurious" due to confounding factors."

What are some alternatives to saying "could be spurious"?

Alternatives to "could be spurious" include phrases like "might be inaccurate", "may be misleading", or "might be unfounded", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "could be spurious" or "is spurious"?

"Could be spurious" expresses a possibility, while "is spurious" states it as a fact. Use "could be spurious" when you have reason to suspect something might be false but lack definitive proof. Always consider the certainty level needed for your statement.