weak knowledge

USAGE SUMMARY

'weak knowledge' is a valid phrase in written English.
It is often used to refer to someone's lack of information or expertise in a certain area. For example, "He had only weak knowledge of the process, so he couldn't complete it on his own."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Formal & Business

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

This shortage was in part the result of the limited number of medical schools and of students enrolled and graduating from local medical programmes, along with a weak knowledge of medical schools' capacities, strengths and weaknesses [ 1, 2, 4, 7].

Human Resources for Health

And since weak knowledge internalism is included in strong knowledge internalism as a part, as per comments made above concerning statements A and B, we may say that strong AKE also rejects strong knowledge internalism.

SEP

It finds that the coexistence of cohesion effects (reciprocity and transitivity) with the weak knowledge bases of some firms in the cluster contribute to a stable informal hierarchical network structure over time.

Research Policy

Due to the current weak knowledge relating to the mechanism(s) under which dendrimers interact with lipidic membranes and transport through cells, these results may justify the tendency of dendrimers to disrupt biological membranes.

International Journal of Pharmaceutics

Given that PTs generally possessed weak knowledge when they enter education program (Borko et al. 1992; Simon and Blume 1994; Morris and Hiebert 2009), it takes time to shift their attention from surface to deep explanations.

International Journal of STEM Education

Possible reasons for the mismatch include overlapping structures and weak knowledge of members.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

But stocks and bonds and compound interest need not be part of the lesson plan right away, and children are not trying to probe our areas of weakest knowledge anyhow.

The New York Times

However, weaker knowledge assumptions imply that the agents will play D1,D2, even if they might not both be able to predict this outcome before the start of play.

SEP

Controlling for pre-conditions that determine irrigation choices clearly improves our understanding of small-scale farmer irrigation adoption decisions and we argue that weaker knowledge about and lower automatic diffusion of modern irrigation is a main obstacle for improving small-scale farmer productivity.

Latin American Economic Review

Based on our research into how women understand, obtain, assess and respond to new information about exposures to everyday household chemicals during pregnancy, it appears that a strong-to-weak knowledge dissemination strategy that is consistently encouraged by "strong sources" such as physicians, their professional organizations, and government agencies is preferred.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

The participants showed the weakest knowledge and highest mean risk of error in the discipline of drug management.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's understanding of a topic, use "weak knowledge" to highlight a lack of detailed understanding or expertise. Be specific about the area where knowledge is lacking for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "weak knowledge" when the issue is not a deficiency in understanding but rather a lack of available data. For example, instead of saying "the study suffers from "weak knowledge" about the topic", say "the study suffers from a lack of available data on the topic".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "weak knowledge" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "weak" modifies the noun "knowledge". According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is valid and used to describe a deficiency in understanding.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

70%

Formal & Business

15%

News & Media

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "weak knowledge" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a lack of understanding or expertise, as validated by Ludwig AI. It is most frequently found in scientific and formal contexts, indicating its use in professional or academic discussions. While alternatives like "limited understanding" or "poor grasp" exist, "weak knowledge" specifically emphasizes the fragility or incompleteness of the understanding. Therefore, using this phrase effectively requires considering the specific context and the desired nuance to accurately convey the nature of the knowledge deficiency.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deficient knowledge base

Highlights the lack of a solid foundation of information.

limited understanding

Focuses on the restricted scope of comprehension rather than the strength of the knowledge itself.

poor grasp

Emphasizes the inability to fully comprehend or control information.

scant information

Highlights the lack of sufficient data or details.

shallow insight

Implies a lack of depth in understanding a particular issue.

superficial acquaintance

Suggests a brief or surface-level familiarity with a subject.

rudimentary awareness

Implies a basic or initial level of consciousness or perception.

tenuous familiarity

Describes a fragile or uncertain level of acquaintance.

inadequate expertise

Focuses on the insufficient skill or proficiency in a specific field.

basic know-how

Signifies an understanding of rudimentary skills and information.

FAQs

How can I use "weak knowledge" in a sentence?

You can use "weak knowledge" to describe a lack of understanding or expertise in a particular area. For example, "His "weak knowledge" of the subject prevented him from contributing effectively to the discussion."

What are some alternatives to "weak knowledge"?

Some alternatives include "limited understanding", "poor grasp", or "deficient knowledge base". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "weak knowledge" or "limited knowledge"?

Both phrases are acceptable, but "weak knowledge" emphasizes the fragility or incompleteness of the understanding, while "limited knowledge" focuses on the restricted scope. They can often be used interchangeably, depending on the intended nuance.

What does it mean to have "weak knowledge" in a particular subject?

Having "weak knowledge" in a subject means possessing a superficial or incomplete understanding of its concepts and principles. This can lead to difficulties in applying that "knowledge" effectively.