merely data

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "merely data" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something is just information without any additional significance or interpretation. Example: "The report presented merely data, lacking any analysis or conclusions that could guide our decision-making."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

On the other hand we need to address the situation in which the creative products are more integral to the research and are not merely data.

City, Territory and Architecture

Thus merely data at ages 16 and 19 could be used for the present study.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

However, these data include merely data from clinical studies and study populations, but no data reflecting the routine medical care.

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Many modeling wonks will argue over whether the addition of a variable for incumbency is merely "data-dredging" (that is, a fishing expedition for data to fit the case).

The Guardian - Opinion

So he imagines a world where, today, technology supports TV ad buying that is merely "data-informed", evolving later "all the way up to fully addressable".

Huffington Post

Despite merely two data points, these data show a positive correlation with the coseismic landslides, i.e. the place with larger seismic intensity has a higher landslide number density.

Geoenvironmental Disasters

With regard to the latter aspect, a distinction is drawn between merely personal data and sensitive data.

BMC Medical Ethics

Cars will not merely collect data about themselves, they will collect data about everything around them to help drivers make decisions.

BBC

However, the merely simple data separation encounters a problem that partial training data results in insufficiently trained NN, which may lose accuracy in classification.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

However, the above examples are not merely a data format to store tree information in files.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Our method merely splits data, and it is not based on random fragmentation of data.

Journal of Big Data

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "merely data" to emphasize that information is presented in its most basic form, without interpretation or analysis. This highlights the need for further processing or context.

Common error

Avoid using "merely data" when the information has inherent value or has already undergone substantial analysis. The phrase is best reserved for situations where the data's limitations are relevant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "merely data" functions as an adverb-noun combination, where "merely" modifies "data" to emphasize its limited state or significance. Ludwig's examples show it is used to downplay the inherent value of raw information.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "merely data" is used to emphasize the unrefined or basic nature of information, suggesting it requires further processing or analysis. While grammatically correct, according to Ludwig, its frequency is relatively rare. It's commonly found in scientific, news, and business contexts. When using this phrase, ensure you are highlighting the limitations of the raw data and setting the stage for further explanation or interpretation. Alternatives like "just data" or "simply data" can offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

just data

Replaces "merely" with "just", offering a more direct and simpler alternative.

simply data

Uses "simply" instead of "merely" to convey the straightforward nature of the data.

only data

Substitutes "merely" with "only", highlighting the exclusivity and lack of additional elements.

raw data

Focuses on the unprocessed state of the data, implying a lack of analysis or interpretation.

basic data

Emphasizes the fundamental or elementary nature of the data.

purely data

Replaces "merely" with "purely", stressing that nothing else is included.

elementary data

Indicates that the data is at a foundational level, lacking complexity.

fundamental data

Highlights that the data are core elements, without extra information.

plain data

Conveys the straightforward and uncomplicated nature of the data.

unprocessed data

Highlights a state of the data before undergoing transformation.

FAQs

How can I use "merely data" in a sentence?

Use "merely data" to show that information is basic and requires further processing, context, or analysis. For example, "The report presented "merely data", without drawing any conclusions."

What is an alternative to using "merely data"?

Alternatives include "just data", "simply data", or "raw data", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "merely data" or "simply data"?

Both "merely data" and "simply data" are correct. "Merely" might add a slightly stronger emphasis on the limited nature of the data compared to "simply".

What does "merely data" imply about the information?

Using "merely data" suggests that the information is in its most basic or unprocessed form, lacking analysis, interpretation, or context. It implies that further work is needed to make the data useful or meaningful.