make meaningful comparisons

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make meaningful comparisons" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the act of evaluating or contrasting different items, ideas, or data in a way that provides insight or understanding. Example: "In her research paper, she aimed to make meaningful comparisons between the two economic models to highlight their strengths and weaknesses."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There's no easy way to make meaningful comparisons when sports change so dramatically over the years.

MIT Technology Review

But trade agreements require governments to make meaningful comparisons of prices in one country to prices or costs in another.

The Washington Post

The model's newness makes it difficult to make meaningful comparisons with more established planes that have flown millions of times.

The New York Times

The General Accounting Office, the auditing arm of Congress, said recently that the program had changed so many times it was no longer possible to make meaningful comparisons.

The New York Times

Even in his small experiment at the World Economic Forum, individuals had to share their data for the program to make meaningful comparisons.

MIT Technology Review

"It takes a bit of time to make meaningful comparisons, but we can deploy our resources to the best market," says Mr de Pouzilhac.

The Economist

But these estimates are too vague to track trends over time or to make meaningful comparisons between countries, the UN laments.The numerical targets are also arbitrary.

The Economist

In interviews and in more than 150 letters to the government, health care providers said that medical payments were so complex and convoluted that it was impossible to make meaningful comparisons between Medicare and other insurers.

The New York Times

Effectively, the results of the 2017 exams cannot be used to make meaningful comparisons over time, though the Education Department says the tests aren't being changed enough so that comparisons will be valid.

The Washington Post

To make meaningful comparisons, we created broad intervention categories that contained heterogeneity.

Duke University

However, in an opaque market where 50% of transactions occur privately, repeat auction sales are one of the few measures we have to make meaningful comparisons.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, clarify the basis for your "meaningful comparisons". Specify the criteria or metrics used to ensure the comparisons are relevant and insightful for your audience. Otherwise, your reader will not be able to trust or properly consider what you wrote.

Common error

Avoid presenting comparisons as "meaningful" without substantiating their relevance. If the connection between the compared elements isn't evident, your audience may perceive the comparison as forced or misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make meaningful comparisons" functions primarily as a verb phrase used to describe the act of assessing similarities and differences between two or more entities. Ludwig's examples showcase its use across various domains, indicating its versatility in analytical contexts. The adjective "meaningful" indicates that the comparisons are relevant and insightful.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

21%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "make meaningful comparisons" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as validated by Ludwig. It describes the analytical process of drawing insightful connections or distinctions. According to Ludwig AI, it is deemed correct and usable in written English. Predominantly found in scientific and journalistic contexts, the phrase maintains a neutral to formal register, suitable for academic, professional, and news-related discourse. It's crucial to ensure that comparisons are substantiated with clear criteria to avoid misinterpretations. Alternatives like "draw significant parallels" or "conduct insightful analyses" can provide stylistic variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

draw significant parallels

This alternative replaces "comparisons" with "parallels" and uses "draw" instead of "make", suggesting a more direct extraction of similarities.

establish relevant correlations

This focuses on finding connections rather than general comparisons, implying a statistical or logical link.

conduct insightful analyses

This shifts the focus to a more in-depth examination, highlighting the analytical aspect of comparisons.

undertake valuable assessments

Replaces "comparisons" with "assessments", emphasizing the evaluation process.

develop substantial contrasts

This alternative emphasizes the development of differences, switching the focus from comparing to contrasting.

formulate valid judgements

This highlights the act of forming judgments based on the comparison process.

identify key differentiators

Focuses on pinpointing the aspects that set things apart, changing the angle from similarities to distinctions.

discern notable patterns

This focuses on recognizing recurring elements rather than direct comparisons, implying an observational approach.

ascertain significant relationships

This suggests discovering important connections, implying a more investigative process.

extract pertinent inferences

This shifts the emphasis to drawing conclusions from the comparison, rather than the comparison itself.

FAQs

How can I effectively "make meaningful comparisons" in a research paper?

To effectively "make meaningful comparisons" in a research paper, clearly define your comparison criteria, use consistent metrics, and explain why these comparisons matter for your argument or analysis. Providing context and justification is key.

What are some alternatives to "make meaningful comparisons"?

You can use alternatives like "draw significant parallels", "conduct insightful analyses", or "establish relevant correlations", depending on the specific context.

What makes a comparison "meaningful"?

A comparison is "meaningful" when it reveals insights, patterns, or differences that are relevant and significant to the context in which it is made. It goes beyond superficial similarities or differences to provide a deeper understanding.

When is it inappropriate to "make meaningful comparisons"?

It is inappropriate to "make meaningful comparisons" when the data or criteria are not comparable, when the context is irrelevant, or when the comparisons are used to mislead or misrepresent information.