determine facts

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "determine facts" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the process of establishing or ascertaining information that is true or factual. Example: "The investigator's job is to determine facts surrounding the case to ensure a fair trial."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Congress is not a suitable forum to determine facts and responsibility.

The New York Times

Not only can these social scientists correctly arrange all 206 bones that make up an adult human skeleton, they can also determine facts about peoples' lives--age at death, sex, stature, nutritional deficiencies, levels of work stress, exposure to infectious disease and traumas--from a careful examination of the bones.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Billingsley also kept professionals on his staff whose job was to listen to the chatter, determine fact from rumor, and then report the factual news to local columnists.

Wikipedia

The Supreme Court has invoked that language in recent decisions concerning the importance of the jury's role in determining facts supporting convictions.

The New York Times

But according to Mr. Penn, the advice we get from our guts is "lousy" most of the time because it is inexact and often contrary to statistically determined facts.

The New York Times

Although deduction techniques do not take concrete runs into account, observation determines facts about what has happened in a concrete run.

Why Programs Fail A Guide to Systematic Debugging

More precisely, perhaps, interpretation is neither purely a matter of determining facts, nor is it a matter of evaluative judgment per se, but an inseparable mixture of both.

SEP

Notably, even views which tend to marginalize the role of a subject's evidence in determining facts about what he or she is justified in believing typically do not take facts about the subject's evidence to be wholly irrelevant.

SEP

Tshekedi Khama, Botswanan minister of tourism and wildlife, also railed against China, saying: "Whether we like it or not, the determining fact and the end result is totally in the hands of China".

The Guardian

The meaning determining fact, Kripke argues, must be such that it follows from it how the term ought to be applied (ibid: 11).

SEP

Instead, the idea is that certain causal facts non-causally determine the facts about what words refer to.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing reports or analyses, use "determine facts" to indicate a process of establishing reliable information through investigation or research. For example, "The committee was formed to determine facts related to the allegations."

Common error

Avoid jumping to conclusions after you "determine the facts". Ensure that you distinguish correlation from causation to avoid misrepresenting your conclusions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "determine facts" functions primarily as a verbal phrase where "determine" is the verb indicating an action of finding something out, and "facts" is the direct object, representing what is being ascertained. This aligns with Ludwig AI that confirms its usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

32%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "determine facts" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression that signifies the process of establishing or ascertaining information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is versatile and suitable for various contexts, ranging from news and media to scientific research. While alternatives like "establish the facts" or "ascertain the facts" exist, each carries subtle nuances in meaning. The phrase is generally considered neutral in tone, making it appropriate for both formal and informal communication. When using the phrase, be sure to distinguish correlation from causation to avoid misrepresenting your conclusions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

establish the facts

Replaces "determine" with "establish", emphasizing the act of setting something firmly in place.

ascertain the facts

Uses "ascertain" instead of "determine", suggesting a careful and methodical effort to find something out.

find out the facts

Replaces "determine" with "find out", creating a more informal tone.

discover the facts

Uses "discover" to suggest that the facts were previously unknown or hidden.

uncover the facts

Emphasizes the process of revealing facts that were obscured or concealed.

investigate the facts

Highlights a systematic or formal inquiry to establish facts.

verify the facts

Focuses on confirming the truth or accuracy of existing facts.

confirm the facts

Similar to "verify", but emphasizes solidifying the facts.

establish what happened

Broader than "facts", referring to the specifics of an event, replacing facts with a more narrative approach.

get to the bottom of

This idiom suggests uncovering the true explanation behind a complex situation, implying a deeper investigation than simply finding facts.

FAQs

How can I use "determine facts" in a sentence?

You can use "determine facts" to describe the process of finding out what is true. For example, "The police are working to determine the facts of the case".

What is a more formal alternative to "determine facts"?

A more formal alternative to "determine facts" is to "ascertain the facts" or "establish the facts".

Is it better to say "determine facts" or "determine the facts"?

Both "determine facts" and "determine the facts" are grammatically correct, but "determine the facts" is more common and specific because it suggests a particular set of facts.

What does it mean to "determine the facts" in a legal context?

In a legal context, to "determine the facts" means to "establish facts" pertinent to the case through evidence and testimony, which is a critical role of the jury or judge.