look retrospectively

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "look retrospectively" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to describe the process of looking back on something from the past in order to gain insight or draw conclusions. For example: "By looking retrospectively at the decision-making that led to the success of the project, the team was better able to plan for the future."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Triumphs look retrospectively engineered.

The New Yorker

Thirdly it will look retrospectively at earlier approaches and phases of foresight in the European Commission.

European Journal of Futures Research

This audit aimed to look retrospectively at our admissions to Intensive Care, to categorise them into frail or non frail, and evaluate how frailty correlated with ICU length of stay and mortality.

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

The initial 2001 cohort (n = 23,038) also was substantially lower than in the other years (Table  1) because we had no ability to look retrospectively at the records and identify patients receiving care related to an AD diagnosis before but not during 2001.

BMC Health Services Research

The occurrence of the German outbreak also caused the scientific community to look retrospectively at the reported HUS cases linked to infections with atypical VTEC types or to browse the scientific literature in order to assess if other EAHEC cases of infection could be retrieved.

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

However, the Rotterdam study looked retrospectively at people's dietary habits through a questionnaire, so it is scientifically less reliable than a prospective study like the Age-Related Eye Disease Study II, which is much better controlled in terms of who is in the study and what nutrients they are consuming.

The New York Times

Our analysis looked retrospectively at outcomes for a large cohort of patients treated.

Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology

This may be true when looking retrospectively, but it's sloppy thinking to apply when it is impossible to know if your current deal will be one of the massive winners.

TechCrunch

We looked retrospectively at the last 80 patients admitted to the ICU or HDU in York, 2011.

Critical Care

The NFHS is a cross-sectional survey that looked retrospectively at woman's pregnancy intention and its related factors.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

We looked retrospectively into their records for their demographic data (age, sex), smoking history, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, hs-CRP concentration, fasting lipids and glucose concentrations.

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "look retrospectively", ensure that the context clearly indicates what specific events or periods are being examined. Be precise to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "look retrospectively" without specifying the subject of the retrospective analysis. For example, instead of saying 'We should look retrospectively', specify 'We should look retrospectively at the project's initial phase'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "look retrospectively" functions as a verb phrase and adverb combination, indicating the act of examining or considering something from a past perspective. Ludwig shows examples where it's used to describe analyses in various fields like science and history.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "look retrospectively" is a grammatically correct verb phrase that combines an action verb with an adverb to express examining something from a past perspective. While Ludwig identifies its usage as relatively rare, it appears mainly in scientific and news contexts, implying a neutral to formal register. The phrase functions to analyze past events, draw insights, and inform future actions. Consider clearer alternatives when needing a more descriptive phrase, and always ensure the context is specific. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

analyze in retrospect

Substitutes "look" with "analyze", indicating a more structured and analytical approach.

evaluate with the benefit of hindsight

Emphasizes the advantage of knowing the outcomes when assessing past actions.

examine in hindsight

Replaces "look" with a more formal verb, emphasizing detailed inspection after the event.

review the past

Simplifies the phrase while maintaining the core meaning of revisiting previous events.

reflect on prior events

Shifts focus to thoughtful consideration of what has already happened.

consider from a past perspective

Rephrases to highlight the viewpoint as originating from a later time.

revisit past decisions

Highlights the act of returning to and reconsidering previous choices.

assess historically

Implies evaluation based on historical context and data.

view through the lens of the past

Uses a metaphorical expression to suggest a historical viewpoint.

understand in historical context

Focuses on comprehension by placing within its chronological setting.

FAQs

How can I use "look retrospectively" in a sentence?

You can use "look retrospectively" to describe analyzing past events or decisions, such as: "The team decided to "look retrospectively" at the project's failures to understand what went wrong."

What's a more formal alternative to "look retrospectively"?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives like "analyze in retrospect" or "examine in hindsight", which suggest a more rigorous analysis.

Is it always necessary to specify what you're looking at when using "look retrospectively"?

While not always grammatically required, specifying the object of analysis when using ""look retrospectively"" improves clarity. For example, ""look retrospectively" at the data" is clearer than simply saying ""look retrospectively"."

How does "look retrospectively" differ from "review" or "re-examine"?

"Look retrospectively" implies a deliberate act of considering past events from a current vantage point, whereas "review" or "re-examine" are broader terms for reassessing something, not necessarily from a historical perspective.