poor explanation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "poor explanation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an explanation that lacks clarity, detail, or effectiveness. Example: "The teacher's poor explanation of the complex topic left many students confused."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Perhaps because of uncertainty, though that's a poor explanation for a phenomenon occurring globally.

The Economist

The film also has a particularly poor explanation of the technology behind Ava's (maybe) sentient brain.

Science Magazine

However, for both BAF and SNV data, this candidate is clearly a poor explanation.

Cell Reports

Consequently, proprioceptive dysfunction gives a poor explanation for the observed alterations in conjunct motion in the pain groups.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

All selected trials were randomised control trials, however, even in those that met the inclusion criteria the majority (see Additional file 5) had poor explanation of their allocation concealment and/or randomisation methods were vague.

Critical Care

Individual interviewees and members of the patient FGDs both voiced major concerns about a lack of individual counselling during diagnosis and treatment, and poor explanation of the treatment programme.

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

In their research on health-seeking behaviour, Haussman-Muela and colleagues have emphasized the need to consider the acceptability of health personnel-client dynamics, citing studies that found factors such as poor explanations on treatment, rudeness, or blaming-the-victim mentalities as potential barriers for health care.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Note that a maximum likelihood fit of another potential distribution describing the probability of observing a gene family of size x in a genome, the exponential distribution, visually provides a rather poorer explanation of these data (see Additional File 1).

BMC Genomics

Three donors described interactions with nursing staff that were less than satisfactory, characterised by inadequate explanations and poor staff treatment.

BMC Public Health

On balance, the lack of any sex effect in that direction suggests strongly that if digit ratio indicates masculinization, then the high-running lines are the more feminized, and the possibility that lower digit ratios are more masculinized is a poor candidate explanation for our results.

Plosone

It is the parsimony of the poor that deserves explanation.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "poor explanation", provide context or elaborate on what makes the explanation deficient. This helps the reader understand the specific shortcomings.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that something is a "poor explanation" without detailing why. Specify the aspects of the explanation that are lacking or unclear to make your critique more constructive and impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poor explanation" functions as a noun phrase modifier, where the adjective "poor" modifies the noun "explanation". It describes the quality of the explanation, indicating that it is deficient or inadequate in some way. Ludwig examples illustrate its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

63%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "poor explanation" is a straightforward and common way to express dissatisfaction with the quality of an explanation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and usable in various contexts. While relatively uncommon, it appears most frequently in scientific and news-related content. When employing this phrase, it's best practice to elaborate on the specific deficiencies to provide constructive criticism. Alternatives such as "inadequate reasoning" or "unconvincing account" can offer subtle variations in meaning. Remember to avoid simply stating that something is a "poor explanation" without justifying your assessment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

implausible explanation

Suggests the explanation is not believable or credible.

unsatisfactory clarification

Indicates the explanation fails to adequately clarify the matter.

dubious explanation

Indicates the explanation is questionable or suspect.

insufficient justification

Highlights that the explanation lacks enough supporting evidence.

unconvincing account

Focuses on the lack of persuasiveness in the explanation.

inadequate reasoning

Emphasizes the lack of sufficient support or logic in the explanation.

weak justification

Highlights the insufficient strength or validity of the provided reason.

flimsy rationale

Suggests the explanation is weak and easily challenged.

faulty reasoning

Focuses on the flawed logic within the explanation.

deficient account

Implies the explanation is lacking essential elements or details.

FAQs

What does "poor explanation" mean?

A "poor explanation" is one that is inadequate, unclear, or fails to sufficiently clarify or justify a particular point or situation. It lacks the necessary detail or logic to be convincing or easily understood.

How can I use "poor explanation" in a sentence?

You can use "poor explanation" to critique or describe an explanation that is lacking in quality, such as: "The student received a low grade due to the "poor explanation" provided in their essay."

What are some alternatives to "poor explanation"?

Alternatives include "inadequate explanation", "weak explanation", "unsatisfactory explanation", or "implausible explanation" depending on the specific context and the nature of the deficiency.

When is it appropriate to use the term "poor explanation"?

It is appropriate to use "poor explanation" when you need to convey that a given explanation is not sufficient, clear, or convincing, and you want to express dissatisfaction or critique its quality.