make a survey

USAGE SUMMARY

"make a survey" is a valid, usable phrase in written English.
You can use it whenever you want to suggest that someone conduct a survey, often to collect data or opinions, either independently or with others. For example: "We need to collect more information, so let's make a survey of our customers' preferences."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

"In order for us to do that, we said, O.K., we have to send people out to make a survey of households," Mr. de Mul said.

The New York Times

If you live within 50 miles of a mover's place of business, he said, the mover must visit your house, make a survey of what you want to move and provide a written estimate.

The New York Times

The New Yorker, October 29 , 1949P. 19 Some silversmiths were afraid that not enough jewelry was being sold in America, so they hired a firm to make a survey & find out what's wrong.

The New Yorker

In 1773 James Watt was employed by the British government to make a survey for such a canal, which would link together a chain of freshwater lakes including Lochs Ness, Oich, and Lochy.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The old Lord & Taylor implies a rhythm of time, of women's time, in particular, a pace not slowed but purposeful and expansive: it takes a morning and lunch, or tea and an afternoon, to make a survey of the place, shopping as a setting out rather than a dropping in.

The New Yorker

By Brendan Gill and E. B. White The New Yorker, October 29 , 1949P. 19 Some silversmiths were afraid that not enough jewelry was being sold in America, so they hired a firm to make a survey & find out what's wrong.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

He's making a survey for the purpose of making passengers enjoy their trips more.

The New Yorker

Half a century later, an engineer named Diego de Mercado made a survey.

The New Yorker

Such elasticity also makes a survey like this one hard to pull off.

The New York Times - Arts

"Pardon us, but we're making a survey for our history class.

The New Yorker

In 1957 they spent nearly a year in E. Africa making a survey of the animals & working on a documentary film.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "make a survey", ensure that the context clearly indicates the purpose and scope of the survey. Specify the target audience and the type of data you intend to collect to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "make a survey" when you actually intend to analyze existing survey data. The phrase refers to the act of creating and distributing the survey, not the subsequent analysis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make a survey" functions as a verbal phrase, typically used to initiate or describe the action of creating and administering a survey. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is a grammatically correct construction, with examples ranging from news articles to scientific papers.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

29%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "make a survey" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that describes the process of creating and conducting a survey for data collection. Ludwig AI validates this, indicating its broad applicability. The phrase is suitable for various contexts, ranging from scientific research to general information gathering, with a neutral register. While "make a survey" is straightforward, remember to specify the survey's purpose and target audience for clarity. Alternatives such as "conduct a survey" or "carry out a survey" can add formality, while understanding potential misinterpretations prevents incorrect usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conduct a survey

Replaces "make" with "conduct", which is a more formal synonym, but maintains the core meaning of performing a survey.

carry out a survey

Substitutes "make" with "carry out", offering a slightly more emphatic way to describe the execution of a survey.

undertake a survey

Replaces "make" with "undertake", suggesting a more formal or extensive survey process.

perform a study

Broadens the scope from a survey to a more general study, which might involve various methods beyond just questionnaires.

carry out an investigation

Suggests a more in-depth and formal inquiry than a simple survey, implying a more critical examination.

gather data

Focuses on the core activity of collecting information, which is the primary purpose of a survey.

collect feedback

Highlights the aspect of gathering opinions and reactions, rather than just factual data.

run a poll

Implies a shorter and often less formal data collection process, typically focusing on opinions or preferences.

launch a questionnaire

Highlights the tool used for the survey, shifting the focus to the distribution of questions.

assess opinions

Focuses on evaluating viewpoints which could be done through a survey.

FAQs

How can I use "make a survey" in a sentence?

You can use "make a survey" when you plan to conduct a data collection effort. For instance: "The company decided to "make a survey" to gauge employee satisfaction."

What is another way to say "make a survey"?

Alternatives to "make a survey" include "conduct a survey", "carry out a survey", or "undertake a survey". These options provide similar meanings with slight variations in formality.

What's the difference between "make a survey" and "conduct a survey"?

While both phrases are largely interchangeable, "conduct a survey" often implies a more formal and organized approach to the survey process compared to "make a survey".

Is it better to "make a survey" or "perform a survey"?

"Perform a survey" and "make a survey" are similar in meaning. However, "perform a survey" might subtly suggest a more thorough and methodological execution of the survey.