anecdotal evidence — evidence based on personal stories or isolated examples, not systematic research
Information or 'evidence' that comes from personal accounts, individual stories, or isolated cases, rather than from scientific studies or reliable data. Often used to highlight that such evidence is not strong or reliable.
Say it like a native
Textbook This is only proof based on individual personal stories, not research.
Native That's just anecdotal evidence.
'Anecdotal evidence' is the standard term for story-based, unscientific support.
Pattern: anecdotal evidence (of/that) [something]
In use
- There's a lot of anecdotal evidence that this diet works, but no large studies have confirmed it.communication
- While some people claim that social media improves communication skills, much of this is based on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific studies.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ There are many anecdotal evidences for it.
✓ There is a lot of anecdotal evidence for it.
'Evidence' is uncountable — no 'evidences', no 'an'.
Common collocations
anecdotal evidence— just, purely, plenty of, based on
Don't confuse it
Unlike 'evidence' in general, which can be strong or weak, 'anecdotal evidence' specifically refers to evidence from personal stories or isolated cases, and is usually considered less reliable than evidence from scientific studies.