positive discrepancy

USAGE SUMMARY

"positive discrepancy" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a phrase used to describe a situation in which actual results are better than expected results. For example, "The positive discrepancy between the projected budget and the actual budget is very encouraging."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Finally a 29-factor model explains all the the codes and shows 0% of positive discrepancy.

BMC Health Services Research

Using the prediction equation, 70 countries had PDs with "negative discrepancy", while 58 had PDs with "positive discrepancy".

BMC Health Services Research

In contrast, a "positive discrepancy" indicates the observed PD is greater than the predicted PD, and can be considered as "above the norm".

BMC Health Services Research

There were 70 countries (70/130, 53.8%) with observed PDs that had "negative discrepancy", and 58 that had "positive discrepancy" (58/130, 44.6%).

BMC Health Services Research

Children with no discrepancy between the two figures were considered to be 'ok' with their body size (i.e., to have body size satisfaction), children with positive discrepancy were considered to have a 'desire to be smaller' , and children with negative discrepancy were considered to have a 'desire to be bigger'.

BMC Pediatrics

Among the remaining 111 patients, total agreement between preferred and actual participation in medical decision making (a discrepancy score of zero) was seen in 49 patients (44%), while 35% wanted a more active role (negative discrepancy scores) and 21% a more passive role (positive discrepancy scores) than they actually had.

BMC Geriatrics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Large positive discrepancies between the modeled and observed hmF2 values are noticed during the deep solar minimum year 2009.

Advances in Space Research

The model responses are much larger than the data values yielding large positive discrepancies.

BMC Systems Biology

A more extensive 23-factor model still could not explain 6 codes with prevalence lower than 5 (positive discrepancies is 0.9%).

BMC Health Services Research

Positive discrepancies are recorded when the observed rating is 1, while the analysis estimate is 0. Negative discrepancies are the number of times the observed rating is 0, while the estimate value is 1.

BMC Health Services Research

The association between maternal depression and a positive reporting discrepancy was confirmed by previous general population studies on mother child reporting discrepancies associated with maternal internalizing problems.

European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical contexts, quantify the "positive discrepancy" with specific numbers or percentages to provide concrete evidence of the improvement.

Common error

Avoid using "positive discrepancy" when you simply mean a difference or inconsistency. The term specifically refers to a difference that is advantageous or better than expected, not just any deviation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "positive discrepancy" functions as a descriptor, modifying a noun (often a result, outcome, or value) to indicate that the difference between an expected and actual value is favorable. Ludwig confirms its proper usage in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

80%

News & Media

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "positive discrepancy" is a phrase used to describe a favorable difference between an expected value and an actual result, and Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It is most commonly found in scientific contexts and is used to highlight beneficial outcomes. While not overly common, its meaning is clear and its usage is appropriate in formal and technical writing. Related phrases include "favorable variance" and "better than expected result". Remember to use this phrase specifically when the discrepancy is advantageous, and avoid confusing it with general inconsistencies.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

favorable variance

Replaces "discrepancy" with "variance", emphasizing the beneficial nature of the difference.

positive deviation

Uses "deviation" to highlight the departure from the norm, specified as positive.

favorable gap

A simple substitution, which emphasizes that the gap is of a positive nature.

better than expected result

Simplifies the phrase to directly state that the result surpassed expectations.

exceeding anticipated outcome

Focuses on the outcome being greater than what was predicted.

surplus difference

Emphasizes the excess or surplus nature of the difference.

unexpected gain

Emphasizes that discrepancy has lead to an actual gain that was not expected.

advantageous inconsistency

Highlights the inconsistency, framing it as beneficial.

upside gap

Uses business-oriented language to describe a gap on the positive side.

constructive imbalance

Uses a more nuanced term which implies that discrepancy is actually helpful.

FAQs

How can I use "positive discrepancy" in a sentence?

You can use "positive discrepancy" to describe situations where the actual results are better than expected. For example: "The positive discrepancy between projected and actual sales indicates a successful marketing campaign."

What does "positive discrepancy" mean in data analysis?

In data analysis, a "positive discrepancy" indicates that the observed or actual value is higher or more favorable than the predicted or expected value. It signifies a beneficial difference.

What's the difference between "positive discrepancy" and "negative discrepancy"?

"Positive discrepancy" refers to a difference where the actual outcome is better than expected, while "negative discrepancy" indicates that the actual outcome is worse than expected.

What are some alternatives to using "positive discrepancy"?

Alternatives include "favorable variance", "positive deviation", or "better than expected result" depending on the specific context.