cursory assessment

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of a sentence "cursory assessment" is correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used to describe a quick and brief evaluation or examination of something. Example: The doctor's cursory assessment of the patient's symptoms led to a misdiagnosis.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

ASKED to identify which items in the generic East Side office designated for the spouse of the governor of New York actually radiate her personal decorative karma, Michelle Paige Paterson, 47, takes a cursory assessment.

The New York Times

My skepticism over whether Monster paid too much stems from my cursory assessment of Affinity Lab's properties, not a detailed look at the company's revenues or even Michel's standing relationship with Monster.

TechCrunch

In a cursory assessment of the extended VHBP analysis, KFS was determined with ≤ 7% error, ∆θ with ≤ 15% error, Ha with ≤ 1.4% error, and ψf with ≤ 0.5% error, which is more than sufficient accuracy for most applications.

Engineering Geology

The total cost of the procedure may appear, after cursory assessment, to be three to four times that of amputation, but in fact, it is much more economical when the long-term outcome is considered [1, 2, 3].

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

Clear clinical differences between canine and first premolar eruption order could be detected by a cursory assessment of panoramic radiographies and seemed to confirm the results.

F1000Research

Based on a cursory assessment, however, it is not clear that any of the 4 has a sufficiently large dynamic range and sufficiently low variance to yield robust Z′-factors.

Autophagy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

This information is particularly important in African hospitals, where over one-half of all pediatric deaths occur in the first 48 hours of admission 17 and admission assessments are often cursory.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

In his letter to the Department of Investigation, Mr. Goldstein cited three "high-value" Manhattan office buildings represented by Lippman Krasnow & Kelton, where even "a cursory analysis" might justify a higher assessment, although he said he had no evidence of a crime.

The New York Times

In particular, if every new drug were to be assessed for cost-effectiveness, in many settings this assessment would be, of necessity, very cursory, since the resources would not be available to undertake all the assessments thoroughly.

European Journal of Health Economics

EAAP therefore believes the assessments "may be rather cursory and [can] miss depressive or other conditions".

The Economist

Many such assessments are merely a cursory documentation, often non-quantitative, of the extent and type of slope failure.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cursory assessment" when you want to emphasize that an evaluation was brief and not in-depth. It implies that only the most obvious aspects were considered.

Common error

Avoid using "cursory assessment" when a detailed and comprehensive evaluation is required. The term suggests a lack of depth, which might undermine the credibility of your analysis if a more rigorous approach is expected.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cursory assessment" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "cursory" modifies the noun "assessment". It describes the nature of the assessment, indicating it was brief and superficial. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct and can be used in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

56%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cursory assessment" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a brief and superficial evaluation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity for use in written English. This phrase is commonly found in both News & Media and Scientific contexts, suggesting a neutral register. While acceptable, writers should be mindful of the implications of using this phrase and ensure it aligns with the required level of detail for their analysis. Alternatives like "brief evaluation" or "quick appraisal" may be suitable depending on the desired nuance and formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

brief evaluation

This alternative uses a more general term "evaluation" instead of "assessment", suggesting a slightly broader scope but maintaining the sense of brevity.

quick appraisal

"Appraisal" implies a more formal judgment or estimation than "assessment", but "quick" conveys the same sense of speed.

superficial review

"Superficial" emphasizes the lack of depth in the review, highlighting the limited nature of the examination.

hasty examination

"Hasty" suggests a hurried and potentially careless examination, implying a lack of thoroughness.

perfunctory check

"Perfunctory" indicates that the check is carried out as a routine duty without real interest or effort.

rapid estimation

"Estimation" implies an approximate calculation, while "rapid" emphasizes the speed of the process.

passing glance

This suggests an even briefer and less detailed look than a "cursory assessment", implying minimal effort.

light inspection

"Inspection" refers to a visual examination or survey, and "light" indicates its limited scope and intensity.

preliminary overview

"Preliminary" indicates that the overview is an initial step, suggesting that further, more detailed assessments may follow.

casual observation

"Casual" emphasizes the informal and relaxed nature of the observation, suggesting a lack of strictness or formality.

FAQs

How can I use "cursory assessment" in a sentence?

You can use "cursory assessment" to describe a quick and superficial evaluation, such as: "The doctor performed a "cursory assessment" of the patient's injury before ordering further tests."

What are some synonyms for "cursory assessment"?

Alternatives include "brief evaluation", "quick appraisal", or "superficial review", depending on the context and the degree of formality you want to convey.

Is "cursory assessment" appropriate for formal writing?

While "cursory assessment" is generally acceptable, consider using more precise language in formal writing. For example, if you mean the assessment was rapid due to time constraints, you could say "time-constrained evaluation" instead.

What does "cursory" really mean in the context of an assessment?

"Cursory" signifies that the assessment was done quickly and without paying much attention to detail. It implies a lack of thoroughness and a focus on only the most obvious aspects of the subject being assessed.