the data refers to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the data refers to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are discussing something and want to refer to the facts that pertain to it. For example, "The data refers to the number of people who attended the meeting."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The data refers to hospital visits in which doctors noted marijuana use, meaning pot may have not been the direct cause of the visit.

The Guardian

Walking the data refers to a process that enables each team member and stakeholder to interact with the data, become familiar with it, generate design ideas, and find holes in the data to drive additional data collection.

Rapid Contextual Design A How-to Guide to Key Techniques for User-Centered Design

Most of the data refers to the years 2012 and 2013.

IZA Journal of Development and Migration

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

For instructions on displaying the source list over the data, refer to the Using the Output of Detect Tools thread.

Harvard University

The experts were told that the data referred to agricultural output and were asked questions about whether the agricultural output had "stopped".

The Guardian

In addition, the data refer to the average behavior of a pool of cells and/or receptors removed from their real-life context.

Pharmacology & Therapeutics

It also said Nielsen "cannot count the numbers of people using the Facebook app", where what it should have said is that the data referred to does not include the numbers using the app.

The Guardian - Tech

The data refer to the period June 2011 to May 2012 under all weather (AW) conditions.

Earth, Planets and Space

Other users can use the UID to quickly relocate the data referred to in a publication within the database.

Earth, Planets and Space

"The data referred to in the Secretary of State's letter has already been fully disclosed and in the public domain for a number of weeks".

BBC

Census data of the population [23] also provides the data referred to the daily trips made by people from home to work and study places (commuter trips).

European Transport Research Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "the data refers to", ensure the subject of the data is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of "The data refers to the study", specify "The data on patient outcomes refers to the study conducted in 2024".

Common error

A common mistake is assuming a direct cause-and-effect relationship when "the data refers to" a correlation. For example, if "the data refers to increased ice cream sales and increased crime rates", it doesn't mean one causes the other. There may be a third factor, like warmer weather, influencing both.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the data refers to" functions as a linking phrase, connecting a set of data to its subject or point of relevance. Ludwig examples show this phrase introducing the specific context or content that the data pertains to.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "the data refers to" is a grammatically sound and useful construction for specifying the subject matter of a dataset. Ludwig confirms that this phrase serves as a linking phrase, most commonly found in scientific and academic writing, with the purpose of providing context and scope. When using the phrase, ensure clarity about what exactly the data is referencing and avoid jumping to causal conclusions based solely on correlation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the data pertains to

Uses "pertains to" instead of "refers to", indicating a direct relevance or relation.

the data relates to

Substitutes "relates to" for "refers to", suggesting a connection or association.

the data concerns

Employs "concerns" in place of "refers to", highlighting the subject matter of the data.

the data is about

Uses a simpler construction with "is about" to convey the subject of the data.

the data applies to

Replaces "refers to" with "applies to", indicating the scope or applicability of the data.

the data indicates

Uses "indicates" to show that the data points to something specific, rather than just referencing it.

the data describes

Changes "refers to" to "describes", focusing on the descriptive aspect of the data.

the data specifies

Changes "refers to" to "specifies", which suggests more precision in what the data is about.

the data covers

Employs "covers" to indicate the extent or range of topics included in the data.

the data denotes

Replaces "refers to" with "denotes", indicating that the data is a symbol or sign for something.

FAQs

How can I use "the data refers to" in a sentence?

Use "the data refers to" to indicate the subject or information that data pertains to. For example, "The data refers to customer demographics and purchasing habits."

What are some alternatives to "the data refers to"?

You can use alternatives like "the data pertains to", "the data relates to", or "the data concerns depending on the context.

Which is correct, "the data refers to" or "the data refers at"?

"The data refers to" is the correct phrasing. "The data refers at" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "the data refers to" and "the data indicates"?

"The data refers to" simply means the data is about something. "The data indicates" implies that the data suggests or points to a particular conclusion or finding.