empiricalthat

Empiricalthat is a term used in discussions of evidence-based reasoning and scientific communication to describe the practice of expressing conclusions about observed data through explicit that-clauses. It foregrounds the empirical basis of a claim by tying it directly to the evidence rather than to theory alone.

Origin and usage: The coinage blends "empirical" and the subordinating conjunction "that." It appears in analyses of how researchers phrase results, as well as in pedagogy on scientific writing. While not widely standardized, it has been used by scholars to discuss conventions in reporting results and the transparency of evidential support.

Definition and features: An empiricalthat statement specifies data, methods, or observations that underlie a claim, usually with a that-clause such as "the data show that," "our results indicate that," or "we find that." The hallmark is an explicit indication of the empirical basis, which may include sample size, effect size, or uncertainty, though proponents note it does not itself guarantee validity.

Examples: The study shows that stress correlates with sleep duration. Our analysis indicates that there is a significant difference in outcomes between groups. The data demonstrate that revenue increased after the policy change, that effect persisted over two quarters.

Reception and critique: Some scholars view empiricalthat as a useful heuristic for promoting transparency in reporting. Critics warn that the term may overemphasize structure over substance or become a label for routine phrasing rather than meaningful evidentialism.

See also: scientific reporting, rhetoric of science, evidential reasoning.