Style Guide for Business Writing

G

Generalizations

A generalization at times is useful as a broad observation. At other times, it should be avoided, notably when not supported by findings or statistical analysis (see also Empirical approach). A generalization results from the abstracting of properties in a set of circumstances, which may not be applicable. The resulting deductive inference is not proof, and often is in error.

For a generalization to be true, the parts of an observation have to be in agreement. If that connection is not present, the generalization will not be true. An example of a true generalization is the mathematical relationship between unspecific values A, B, and C:

$\text{If}A=B\text{and}B=C,\text{it}\text{holds}\text{true}\text{that}A=C$

This is a mathematical generalization that is easily ...