explanatory power

USAGE SUMMARY

"explanatory power" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to make a statement about something's ability to explain or clarify an idea, concept, or phenomenon. For example, "This data offers compelling evidence of the predictive model's explanatory power."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

However, it has some explanatory power.

The Economist

Its explanatory power is inevitably, however, much weaker.

The Guardian - Film

Gulbranson's moment of hesitation contains a certain explanatory power.

The New Yorker

Janis's book "Groupthink" retains its explanatory power today.

The New York Times

The explanatory power of party ID, therefore, is essentially zero.

The Guardian - Opinion

All of our models had low explanatory power.

Harvard University

All of these factors have some explanatory power.

Columbia University

Thus, this preference also fails to carry much explanatory power.

Harvard University

The explanatory power of all factors was 33.6%.

Archives of Psychiatric Nursing

The explanatory power of OM removal treatments partially overlapped with the explanatory power of the environmental variables, according to a variation partition analysis (Fig. 3d).

Nature

"A deep-learning system doesn't have any explanatory power," as Hinton put it flatly.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing statistical models, quantify the "explanatory power" using metrics like R-squared to provide concrete evidence of the model's effectiveness.

Common error

Avoid claiming that a single factor has complete "explanatory power" when multiple variables likely contribute to the phenomenon. Acknowledge the limitations and potential influences of other factors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "explanatory power" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It describes the ability or capacity to explain a concept, phenomenon, or set of data. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "explanatory power" is a noun phrase that denotes the ability of something to explain or clarify a concept, phenomenon, or set of data. It is grammatically correct and very commonly used, particularly in scientific, academic, and news contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. The phrase is often used to evaluate theories, models, or factors, assessing their effectiveness in providing explanations. While it is generally used in formal and scientific registers, careful consideration should be given to avoid overstating the explanatory capabilities of a single factor and instead acknowledge the potential influences of multiple variables. Alternative phrases such as "interpretive strength" or "illuminating potential" can be used to add nuance depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

elucidating capability

Focuses on the ability to make something clear and understandable.

interpretive strength

Focuses on the ability to interpret and understand, rather than just explain.

illuminating potential

Emphasizes the ability to shed light on a topic or idea.

descriptive capacity

Highlights the ability to describe something comprehensively.

revealing insight

Highlights the capacity to uncover hidden truths or understandings.

understanding scope

Emphasizes the breadth and depth of understanding provided.

cognitive grasp

Highlights the ability to mentally understand and process information.

theoretical framework

Refers to a structured set of principles used to explain phenomena.

predictive validity

Focuses on the ability to accurately predict future outcomes based on current data.

accounting for variance

Emphasizes the statistical ability to explain the variation in data.

FAQs

How is "explanatory power" used in academic writing?

In academic writing, "explanatory power" refers to the extent to which a theory or model can explain observed phenomena. It's often used to evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches in explaining a particular concept or event. For example, a study might compare the "explanatory power" of two competing theories.

What are some alternatives to using the phrase "explanatory power"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "interpretive strength", "descriptive capacity", or "illuminating potential". These phrases offer nuanced ways to describe the ability to explain or clarify something.

What does it mean for a model to have high "explanatory power"?

When a model has high "explanatory power", it means that it can accurately explain a large portion of the variance in the data. This indicates that the model is effective in capturing the key factors that influence the phenomenon being studied.

How is "explanatory power" different from "predictive power"?

"Explanatory power" refers to the ability to explain why something happens, while "predictive power" refers to the ability to forecast future outcomes. A model can have high predictive power without necessarily having high "explanatory power", and vice versa. For example, a complex algorithm might accurately predict stock prices without providing a clear understanding of the underlying economic factors.