incidental factors

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incidental factors" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to secondary or minor elements that may influence a situation or outcome but are not the primary focus. Example: "While analyzing the results, we must consider the incidental factors that could have affected the data."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

But Liz Clay might never have become an award-winning textiles designer if two incidental factors had not happened a decade ago.

The Guardian - Money

Clearly if there is nothing in the sham treatment it can have no effect, so the response must be dictated by other contextual or incidental factors.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine

The desire to migrate and life satisfaction, for example, can be both influenced by unobserved personality traits, such as an innate optimism, or incidental factors such as the weather or particular memories.

IZA Journal of Migration

However, the assumptions and processes that underlie the classical RCT make it difficult to explore these incidental factors, leaving us with the paradox that while the RCT defines placebos, we cannot easily explore placebo responses within RCTs.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine

In a practical operational scenario, these data are collected by each SU during its conventional energy-detection-based spectrum sensing (for detecting spectrum holes in the underlying spectrum) and are representatives of PUs behavior as well as robust to incidental factors.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Experts have noted in VICE's previous coverage of mass shootings how random they are; the types of shooting situations that usually lead to mass casualties can wound almost no one or large groups depending on a host of incidental factors.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

But closer examination reveals that this figure includes the deaths of tens of thousands in war, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere, whose faith was only an incidental factor in their deaths.

Independent

Researchers noted that the IQ of the marijuana-using group was significantly lower than that of the non-using group--not a finding of the study, but an incidental factor that might be indirectly linked to marijuana use.

Los Angeles Times

Rather, it is an incidental factor entirely due to experimental design.

eLife

Several studies have been conducted to investigate whether insults to the developing lung by incidental environmental factors, such as postnatal infection or maternal cigarette smoke as well as medical interventions, such as ventilation and oxygen supplementation, affect lung morphogenesis and repair process via WNT signaling.

Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics

The 14 WAIS measures were grouped into product, process, and incidental-learning factors, similar to how this was done for the PC analysis reported earlier.

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "incidental factors", ensure you clearly distinguish them from the primary factors to maintain clarity and avoid misinterpreting their influence on the main subject.

Common error

Avoid attributing too much importance to "incidental factors". Clearly define their limited role to prevent them from overshadowing the main factors in your analysis or explanation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incidental factors" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It refers to secondary elements or influences that play a role in a particular situation, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "incidental factors" refers to secondary or minor elements that influence a situation or outcome. Ludwig AI confirms that its usage is grammatically correct and the phrase is most commonly found in scientific and news contexts. Alternatives such as "secondary elements" or "minor influences" can be used depending on the desired emphasis. When using "incidental factors", it's important to distinguish them from the primary factors to ensure clarity and to avoid overemphasizing their role. This phrase is a valuable tool for nuanced and accurate communication, particularly in formal and academic settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

secondary elements

Focuses on the idea that these factors are not primary or of main importance.

minor influences

Highlights the impact of these factors, but emphasizes their lesser significance.

extraneous variables

Used especially in scientific contexts to refer to variables that are not the focus of the study but can affect the results.

peripheral considerations

Emphasizes that these factors are on the edge of the main topic.

contributing elements

Focuses on how these factors add to a situation, although not centrally.

unintended consequences

Highlights how these factors can arise unexpectedly from a certain action.

side effects

Often used when something has an impact in addition to the expected one.

external determinants

Places the focus on an outside cause that influences a scenario.

contextual elements

Focuses on how elements from surrounding details contribute.

chance circumstances

Underlines how these factors appear unplanned or through an unforeseen opportunity.

FAQs

How do "incidental factors" differ from main factors?

"Incidental factors" are secondary influences that may affect a situation, while main factors are the primary drivers or causes. Understanding this distinction is crucial for accurate analysis.

Can "incidental factors" significantly alter an outcome?

While "incidental factors" can influence an outcome, they generally do not have as significant an impact as the main factors. Their effect is usually minor or supplementary.

What are some alternatives to "incidental factors"?

You can use alternatives like "secondary elements", "minor influences", or "extraneous variables" depending on the context.

How to avoid overstating the impact of "incidental factors"?

Clearly define the role of "incidental factors" in your analysis and ensure that you do not attribute more influence to them than they warrant. Keep the focus on the main factors.