indicate a topic

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "indicate a topic" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want someone to point out or specify a subject or theme in a discussion or text. Example: "In your essay, please indicate a topic that you are passionate about and would like to explore further."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

However, as noted already, no topic received a mean score lower than 3 (important) for medical residents; thus, failure to make our "top 5" list does not indicate a topic is unimportant for practicing physicians.

BMC Medical Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Only one patient indicated a topic she preferred not to be discussed and only one patient reported having heard some information he would have preferred not to know.

European Journal of Human Genetics

A major or minor topic focus designation is irrelevant to this study, therefore the asterisk mark used to indicate a major topic focus was stripped from the start of MeSH terms.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

The category-topic context classified topics to relevant categories to indicate if a topic "is a" or "typically involves" the corresponding category.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

The grey shades indicate whether a topic is placed above another branch or as a child of this branch.

WikiHow

Although the literature is relatively sparse, our findings, paired with others on this topic, indicate a need for additional research into the impact of these exposures on head and neck cancer risk.

Cancer Medicine

This finding is consistent with the analysis of topic clustering dynamics (above), and appears to indicate a significant shift in the topics being addressed at the Society for Neuroscience conference between the years 2001 and 2006.

Plosone

As a result of this calculation, positive scores indicate an increase in confidence in the topic and higher scores indicate greater levels of confidence change.

BMC Health Services Research

Graham's "oh" signals the topic to be news and yet the delayed delivery indicates a dispreffered response; the topic may not be entirely welcome.

Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics

The trending topics indicating a strong presence from that camp: #MAGA (Make America Great Again), #PresidentTrump and #AltRight.

The Guardian

Some journals recommend "indicative titles" that indicate the topic matter of the review, while others require declarative titles that give the review's main conclusion.

British Medical Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "indicate a topic", ensure that the context clearly establishes what "topic" refers to. Be specific to avoid ambiguity. For example, "In your presentation, please "indicate a topic" that you find particularly challenging and explain why."

Common error

Avoid using "indicate a topic" in a way that results in an excessively broad or vague subject. Instead of saying "indicate a topic" in history, specify a particular era, event, or figure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "indicate a topic" functions primarily as a verb phrase where "indicate" is the verb and "a topic" is the direct object. It's used to direct someone to specify or point out a subject of discussion or focus. Ludwig confirms its usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

20%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "indicate a topic" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to request the specification of a subject or theme. Ludwig's AI confirms that it is a usable phrase in different contexts. It appears most frequently in scientific and news-related sources and carries a neutral tone, making it suitable for a broad range of communication scenarios. When using this phrase, be sure to provide sufficient context to avoid ambiguity and to guide the selection of an appropriate subject.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

specify a subject

Focuses on being precise and detailed in identifying the subject.

designate a subject

Implies a formal selection or assignment of a subject.

point out a theme

Highlights the act of drawing attention to a recurring idea.

identify an issue

Emphasizes the recognition of a problem or concern.

highlight a theme

Focuses on emphasizing the importance of the theme.

mention a subject

Implies briefly referring to a subject.

raise a topic

Suggests introducing a topic for discussion.

suggest a theme

Implies proposing a theme for consideration.

flag a subject

Indicates marking a subject for attention or further review.

denote a theme

Stresses the role of something as a sign or representation of a theme.

FAQs

How can I use "indicate a topic" in a sentence?

You can use "indicate a topic" to ask someone to specify a subject or theme. For example, "Please "indicate a topic" you'd like to discuss further."

What are some alternatives to "indicate a topic"?

Alternatives include "specify a subject", "designate a subject", or "point out a theme", depending on the desired level of formality and precision.

Is it better to "indicate a topic" or "identify a topic"?

"Indicate a topic" implies a direction or signposting towards a subject, whereas "identify a topic" suggests recognizing or discovering a subject. The choice depends on whether you're directing attention or recognizing something already present.

How does "indicate a topic" differ from "suggest a topic"?

"Indicate a topic" generally means to point out or specify what the topic is. In contrast, "suggest a topic" means to propose a topic for consideration, often implying that a decision about the topic is still pending.