course of thinking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "course of thinking" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a particular way or process of reasoning or thought. Example: "In the course of thinking about the problem, I realized that I had overlooked a crucial detail."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

It occurred to me, in the course of thinking about all of this, that I'm part of the problem.

The New York Times

"The double whammy of those two set me on a course of thinking about issues I had never done before," Mr. Sherwood said.

The New York Times

"In the course of thinking back over your 29 years," he says, "I called to mind many charming memories (and some distressing ones as well); and among the highest ranking of them all was when you were three, just before I went into military service.

The Guardian - Books

Scrabble's scramble for China shows mind games will always be big business In the course of thinking about the above article I considered the claims of other mind games to full sporting status, for it is often said that chess would open the floodgates.

The Guardian - Sport

The American ambassador here, Daniel R. Coats, has taken the unusual step of public criticism of an ally in the midst of an election campaign, saying that Mr. Schröder's position on Iraq risked "isolating Germany from the main course of thinking in the European Union, and said that Germany's failure to support Washington has led to "a certain doubt about the closeness of the relationship".

The New York Times

This course of thinking would lead to the basic idea of the evolutionary model, where the gene expression level is determined by its genome.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Analysts frustrated with this "stay the course" line of thinking.

The New York Times

Warwick High School is widely known for its IB program to prepare students at all grade levels for college course levels of thinking.

Wikipedia

Of course, this line of thinking raises a whole host of other questions.

TechCrunch

What was the location of the hospital then? A. Longtime New Yorkers would say, "Fifth Avenue and 106th Street, of course," thinking of Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital, which was taken over by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York and renamed the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center in 1978.

The New York Times

The risk is that we blind ourselves even further to the outmoded ways of thinking coursing through culture today.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "course of thinking" when you want to describe a process that involves reasoning and evaluation.

Common error

Avoid using "course of thinking" to describe a fixed belief or opinion. This phrase implies a dynamic process, not a static state. Instead, use "belief", "viewpoint", or "opinion" when referring to a settled stance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "course of thinking" functions as a noun phrase, often used adverbially to describe how an action or realization occurs. It indicates a process or progression of thought, as demonstrated by Ludwig examples where it introduces reflections or discoveries made during this process.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "course of thinking" is a grammatically correct and neutrally registered expression used to describe a progression or line of reasoning. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase appears most frequently in News & Media contexts. To improve your writing, it's useful to differentiate "course of thinking" from static viewpoints and to consider alternatives such as "line of reasoning" or "train of thought" for greater precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

line of reasoning

Focuses on the logical progression of thoughts, emphasizing the structured aspect.

train of thought

Highlights the sequential flow of ideas, often used to describe a connected series of thoughts.

mode of thought

Emphasizes a specific style or manner of thinking, rather than its progression.

method of reasoning

Highlights the structured and analytical aspect of thinking.

direction of thought

Emphasizes the path that thinking takes, highlighting where the thoughts are leading.

process of deliberation

Focuses on a more formal and considered approach to thinking, often involving careful evaluation.

chain of reasoning

Stresses a step-by-step logical sequence.

intellectual trajectory

Highlights the intellectual development and progression over time.

mental pathway

Emphasizes the route or direction that thoughts take in the mind.

conceptual framework

Focuses on the underlying structure and organization of thoughts and ideas.

FAQs

How can I use "course of thinking" in a sentence?

You can use "course of thinking" to describe how someone's thoughts develop or progress over time. For example, "In the course of thinking about the problem, I realized I had made a mistake."

What phrases are similar to "course of thinking"?

Similar phrases include "line of reasoning", "train of thought", and "mode of thought", each emphasizing different aspects of thinking.

Is "course of thinking" interchangeable with "course of thought"?

Yes, "course of thought" is largely interchangeable with "course of thinking". Both refer to the way someone's thoughts progress, but "course of thinking" emphasizes the active process of thinking.

When is it appropriate to use "course of thinking" in writing?

It's appropriate to use "course of thinking" when you wish to highlight the development or progression of someone's thoughts, particularly in problem-solving, decision-making, or creative processes.