inadequate documentation

USAGE SUMMARY

"inadequate documentation" is a correct and usual part of written English.
You could use the phrase when describing a situation where the paperwork or records related to a specific event or process are incomplete. For example, "The audit of the company's finances revealed inadequate documentation of expenditures."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

Mr. Feinberg has said that thousands of claims have been rejected because of inadequate documentation.

The New York Times

Substantial evidence is presented that illustrates the inadequate documentation, bad implementation, feature interaction, and feature incoherence.

International Journal of Human-Computer Studies

Inadequate documentation of the roof control approval process, he said, "does not by itself prove that MSHA was unduly influenced".

The New York Times

A 2000 inspection found inadequate documentation for underground fuel tanks at the New Jersey City University in Jersey City.

The New York Times

The remaining 100 were rejected because they were not safe or there was inadequate documentation of their effectiveness or benefit.

The New York Times - Food

They sometimes fail to claim the £2,000 fines from airlines that bring people in with inadequate documentation because they miss a five-day deadline for claims.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

The report found that the company suffered from "poor documentation; inadequate policies and procedures to prevent the misconduct of senior executives that occurred; inadequate procedures for proper corporate authorizations; inadequate approval procedures and documentation".

The New York Times

Provision of lifestyle advice appeared infrequent, echoing the findings of Pal et al. and Roddy et al. [ 8, 9], although it is possible that this reflects poor documentation, rather than inadequate provision.

BMC Family Practice

Many factors may hamper optimal pain management such as patient nonadherence to drug therapy, underreporting of pain or miscommunication between patient and caregivers; from a healthcare provider perspective, inadequate assessment of pain, poor documentation and miscommunication may limit optimal pain management [ 1].

BMC Palliative Care

41 Individual factors included poor documentation and management deficiencies such as inadequate safety-netting.

BMJ Open

These include lack of documentation from referring facilities, inadequate use of the partograph, non-standardized terminology for CS indications, and poor documentation of the decision-to-delivery interval.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "inadequate documentation", be specific about what is lacking or insufficient in the documentation to provide clarity and context.

Common error

Avoid simply stating "inadequate documentation" without specifying the exact deficiencies. Detail the missing information or the areas where the documentation falls short to make your critique more actionable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "inadequate documentation" primarily functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "inadequate" modifies the noun "documentation". As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes a state of lacking sufficient or acceptable records or supporting materials. Examples from Ludwig show its usage across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

49%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "inadequate documentation" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe situations where records or paperwork are insufficient or incomplete. Ludwig AI supports this, providing various examples across different fields. Predominantly found in scientific and news-related contexts, its purpose is to highlight deficiencies or issues arising from insufficient records. While various synonyms exist, such as "insufficient record-keeping", it's crucial to specify the exact nature of the inadequacy rather than making broad generalizations. This ensures clarity and facilitates targeted improvements. Common writing errors involve neglecting to detail the specific deficiencies, thus limiting the phrase's utility in driving actionable solutions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

incomplete records

Highlights the lack of completeness in the existing records.

insufficient record-keeping

Focuses on the process of maintaining records, implying the process was not thorough enough.

deficient paperwork

Emphasizes the lack of required paperwork and its inadequacy.

poorly maintained documentation

Highlights the substandard condition and upkeep of the documentation.

flawed record maintenance

Points out errors and inconsistencies in the maintenance of records.

substandard reporting

Focuses on the lack of quality in the reports produced.

incomplete data set

Emphasizes the lack of comprehensive data available.

patchy records

Suggests the records are inconsistent and contain gaps.

sketchy paperwork

Implies the paperwork is questionable and unreliable.

deficient audit trail

Focuses on the lack of proper tracking and verification in the records.

FAQs

What does "inadequate documentation" mean?

Inadequate documentation refers to a situation where the existing records, paperwork, or data are incomplete, insufficient, or of poor quality, hindering understanding or verification.

What are some synonyms for "inadequate documentation"?

Alternatives include "insufficient record-keeping", "incomplete records", or "deficient paperwork", depending on the specific context.

How does "inadequate documentation" impact a process?

It can lead to errors, delays, compliance issues, and an inability to accurately assess or verify information. It also increases the risk of fraud and mismanagement.

What are the consequences of "inadequate documentation" in healthcare?

In healthcare, "inadequate documentation" can result in misdiagnosis, improper treatment, legal issues, and compromised patient safety. It also affects billing accuracy and audit compliance.