substantial misconception

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantial misconception" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant misunderstanding or incorrect belief about a particular topic or issue. Example: "The report revealed a substantial misconception about the effects of climate change on local ecosystems."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Both FSW and GMW had a substantial misconception regarding HIV transmission, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and FSW had a slightly but significantly higher score than GMW (8.21 ± 2.8 vs. 7.64 ± 2.8, p < 0.001).

BMC Women's Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The first factor was the amount of substantial misconceptions persisting for some students.

Plosone

Both groups had substantial misconceptions about HIV/AIDS, although FSW had slightly higher scores on average.

BMC Women's Health

Similarly, substantial misconceptions regarding HIV/AIDS knowledge were detected among study participants in the present study.

BMC Women's Health

Darwin developed the theory of natural selection despite having substantial misconceptions regarding inheritance, and Dobzhansky (1937) managed to explain the genetic basis of evolution without knowing what DNA was, but these insights required extraordinary perception and years of effort (Mayr and Provine, 1980).

CBE Life Sciences Education

The well-established finding that substantial confusion and misconceptions about evolution and natural selection persist after college instruction suggests that these courses neither foster accurate mental models of evolution's mechanisms nor instill an appreciation of evolution's centrality to an understanding of the living world.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

The fact that substantial confusion and misconceptions about evolution persist after instruction suggests that these courses neither foster accurate mental models of evolution's mechanisms nor instill an appreciation of evolution's centrality to an understanding of the living world (Miller et al. 2006; Nehm and Reilly 2007; Nehm and Schonfeld 2008).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

bTwo-level factor: Instructor did or did not use active-learning exercises and otherwise make a substantial effort toward correcting misconceptions.

CBE Life Sciences Education

In a first study substantial unconfirmed beliefs and misconceptions were reported related to AI which were correlated to immediate behavioural responses, such as avoiding visits to hospitals and eating less poultry [ 40].

BMC Infectious Diseases

Last, we included two factors to describe whether the instructor addressed common student misconceptions about natural selection: one for whether or not an instructor reported "explaining to students why misconceptions are incorrect" and a second for whether or not an instructor reported "using active-learning exercises and otherwise making a substantial effort toward correcting misconceptions".

CBE Life Sciences Education

Yet, students' knowledge structures have been found to approximate those of their teachers (Rutledge and Mitchell [2002]), and currently substantial numbers of biology students become biology teachers while still retaining major misconceptions (Nehm et al. [2008]).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "substantial misconception", ensure you provide clear evidence or reasoning to demonstrate why the belief is incorrect.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the consequences of the "substantial misconception". Focus on presenting factual information and reasoned arguments rather than resorting to hyperbole.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantial misconception" functions as a noun phrase, where "substantial" modifies the noun "misconception". The primary function is to identify and characterize a specific, significant misunderstanding or incorrect belief. Ludwig confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "substantial misconception" is a grammatically sound and usable term, denoting a significant misunderstanding or incorrect belief. Ludwig's analysis reveals that while relatively rare, the phrase appears in varied contexts, including science, news, and formal business settings. When using the phrase, it's crucial to provide evidence supporting the claim of a misconception and avoid overstating its impact. Consider alternatives such as "significant misunderstanding" or "major delusion" depending on the nuance you want to convey. As confirmed by Ludwig, "substantial misconception" accurately and effectively communicates the presence of a noteworthy inaccuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant misunderstanding

Replaces "misconception" with a more general term for misunderstanding and "substantial" with "significant".

profound misunderstanding

Emphasizes the depth and extent of the misunderstanding.

serious misapprehension

Uses "misapprehension" as a synonym for misconception, conveying a formal tone.

widespread misunderstanding

Focuses on how common the misunderstanding is among a group.

fundamental error in understanding

Rephrases the concept to highlight the error in the underlying understanding.

extensive misbelief

Highlights the widespread nature of the false belief.

major delusion

Substitutes "misconception" with "delusion", implying a more profound and potentially irrational belief.

notable misinterpretation

Highlights the act of misinterpreting information, rather than just having a wrong belief.

considerable fallacy

Uses "fallacy" to denote a false or mistaken idea, with "considerable" indicating its significance.

gross misjudgment

Replaces "misconception" with "misjudgment", suggesting a flawed decision based on incorrect information.

FAQs

How can I use "substantial misconception" in a sentence?

You can use "substantial misconception" to describe a significant misunderstanding or incorrect belief, such as: "There is a "substantial misconception" about the role of vitamin supplements in preventing chronic diseases."

What are some alternatives to "substantial misconception"?

Some alternatives include "significant misunderstanding", "major delusion", or "serious misapprehension".

Is "substantial misconception" formal or informal?

"Substantial misconception" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, depending on the overall tone of the writing. It's appropriate for academic papers, news articles, and general discussions.

What's the difference between "substantial misconception" and "minor error"?

"Substantial misconception" implies a significant misunderstanding that can lead to serious consequences, while "minor error" refers to a small mistake that has little impact.