Undefined metric
Cites a number without defining what it actually measures.
Specimen
Our satisfaction score is up 40% since the relaunch.
Fabricated passage — teaching example designed for clarity.
Data & evidence issue / undefined metric
undefined metric — 'satisfaction score' not defined; 40% of what is unclear
Dissection
Our satisfaction score is up 40% since the relaunch.
- metric undefined
- baseline absent
- measurement method unknown
Field notes
- Family
- Data & evidence issue
- Habitat
- product journalism, corporate communications, business reporting
- Frequency
- found in 13% of analyzed articles
- Confused with
- Misleading statistic , Unverifiable claim
In the wild
"Our wellbeing index has improved by 22 points over the past quarter."
Corporate communications, business publication, February 2026
"The programme's impact score has nearly doubled since implementation."
Policy reporting, national broadsheet, April 2026
Why it works
Numbers imply precision and measurement. The undefined metric borrows that credibility while providing nothing that can be evaluated.
Counter-move
Ask: what is this measuring? How is it measured? What was the baseline?
See it flagged in real articles while you read.
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