modest negative correlation

USAGE SUMMARY

'modest negative correlation' is correct and usable in written English.
It is a term used in statistical analysis to describe when two variables have a small, but negative relationship. For example, the researchers found that there was a modest negative correlation between the amount of time spent studying and academic performance.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

By contrast, LpPLA2 activity showed a modest negative correlation with hsCRP and fibrinogen, though not HbA1c in diabetic subjects, but was again negatively correlated with diabetes duration.

Diabetes Care

There was a modest negative correlation between study size and change in micturitions/day (r = -0.21).

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Overall, pack-year smoking history had a modest negative correlation with PostBDFEV1 % predicted.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

E-cadherin likewise showed a modest negative correlation with CD68+ macrophage density in evaluation 1 (SC > -0.2), however, evaluation 2 could not confirm this correlation.

BMC Cancer

Moreover, we found a modest negative correlation between the CG density and the elongation rates in individual genes, opposite of the effect CG content has at the promoter.

eLife

Recently, the comparison on methylation levels of 69 human individuals showed a modest negative correlation between DNA methylation variation and gene expression variation [ 28].

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

In turn, LpPLA2 activity showed modest positive correlations in women with age and HbA1c, and modest negative correlations with BMI and hsCRP.

Diabetes Care

Men also exhibited modest negative correlations between LpPLA2 mass and systolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, UACR, and, as did women, diabetes duration.

Diabetes Care

All three genes showed a modest positive correlation (r2 = 0.7) with 2-phenyl ethanol and mild negative correlations with all the other compounds.

BMC Genomics

Taipale et al. found a modest but significant, negative correlation between the strength of Hsp90 interaction and recombinant kinase expression (R = 0.15; [4]).

Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics

As shown in Table 3, modest, but significant, negative correlations were seen between the HRneg/Tneg index and both T-cell and B-cell gene expressions in the training and validation cohorts.

Breast Cancer Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the strength of a correlation, be precise and quantify the relationship using correlation coefficients (e.g., r = -0.3) whenever possible to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid assuming that a "modest negative correlation" implies causation. Correlation only indicates a relationship, not that one variable directly influences the other. Further investigation is needed to determine causality.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "modest negative correlation" functions as a descriptor in statistical analysis. It qualifies the type and strength of the relationship between two variables, indicating a weak inverse relationship. Ludwig provides multiple examples of usage in scientific publications and news articles.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

80%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "modest negative correlation" is a phrase used to describe a weak inverse relationship between two variables, as confirmed by Ludwig. It is commonly used in scientific and news contexts to express a statistical association that is present but not strong. Remember, correlation does not equal causation, and this phrase particularly calls for caution against such misinterpretations. When using this phrase, consider quantifying the relationship with correlation coefficients for added clarity. Alternatives such as "slight inverse relationship" or "weak negative association" can be used depending on the desired emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mild inverse correlation

Replaces "modest" with "mild" to indicate the intensity of the correlation.

slight inverse relationship

Replaces "correlation" with "relationship" and "negative" with "inverse", emphasizing the direction of the relationship.

weak negative association

Substitutes "correlation" with "association", indicating a less statistically rigorous connection.

soft negative link

Replaces "correlation" with "link", which may imply a more general relationship and replaces "modest" with "soft".

limited negative dependence

Uses "dependence" instead of "correlation", suggesting a causal connection, but the strength is limited.

small inverse proportionality

Emphasizes the proportional relationship while maintaining the inverse nature and low magnitude.

weak negative influence

Emphasizes the impact of one variable on another in a decreasing direction.

tenuous negative link

Indicates a weak and uncertain relationship between the variables.

negligible inverse effect

Highlights the minimal impact of one variable on another in an opposing direction.

marginal negative trend

Focuses on the trend aspect of the relationship, portraying a slight downward direction.

FAQs

What does "modest negative correlation" mean?

A "modest negative correlation" indicates that as one variable increases, the other tends to decrease slightly. The relationship is present, but not strong.

How is a "modest negative correlation" different from a strong negative correlation?

A strong negative correlation implies a clear, reliable, and inverse relationship between variables, while a "modest negative correlation" indicates the relationship is weaker and less predictive. /s/strong+negative+correlation

Can I say something else instead of "modest negative correlation"?

Yes, depending on the context, you can use phrases like "slight inverse relationship" or "weak negative association" to convey a similar meaning.

Is a "modest negative correlation" statistically significant?

Statistical significance depends on the specific data and statistical tests used. A "modest negative correlation" may or may not be statistically significant; further analysis is required.