over the course of the semester

USAGE SUMMARY

"over the course of the semester" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe things that happened or will happen during the semester. For example: "I made a lot of progress in my Spanish language class over the course of the semester."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Robert Peabody, a lawyer representing two implicated students, said as their cases dragged on, with frequent postponement, "they emotionally deteriorated over the course of the semester".

The New York Times

But, over the course of the semester, the students' work gets better, and one of them shows serious promise she didn't know she had.

The New Yorker

Overall, students increased substantially in their acceptance of evolution over the course of the semester(see Fig. 3).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

I identified essential core skills by investigating students' tree-thinking progression over the course of the semester.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Over the course of the semester, students had collected physical specimens of organisms from 16 different phyla of their choosing.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Students in an undergraduate nutrition course were required to engage in blog conversations over the course of the semester to promote reflective learning.

The Internet and Higher Education

First, the general trend over the course of the semester was a decrease in academic engagement, but only for students low on the attribute of life-long learning.

Learning and Individual Differences

A significant number of students in both groups reduced the frequency of placing bats with butterflies and birds with butterflies over the course of the semester.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Emergent trends from the data revealed shifts in the rationales students used when interpreting and comparing phylogenetic trees over the course of the semester.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

The change in instructional practice undertaken by instructor M over the course of the semester is an example of a change sequence within the Interconnected Model.

International Journal of STEM Education

The No Lab and Lab groups did not change their rationale from diet or habitat over the course of the semester.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context and choose synonyms like "during the semester" or "throughout the semester" for conciseness, especially when emphasizing a specific timeframe rather than the process of change.

Common error

Avoid misspelling "course" as "coarse". "Course" refers to a period of time or a direction of progress, while "coarse" describes a rough texture or impolite manner. Double-check your spelling to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over the course of the semester" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or noun. It specifies the timeframe during which an action, event, or change occurs. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

38%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "over the course of the semester" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that specifies a duration within an academic term. According to Ludwig, it’s perfectly correct. Predominantly found in scientific and news media contexts, it serves to describe events, changes, or activities that unfold from the beginning to the end of a semester. While various alternatives exist, such as ""during the semester"" and "throughout the semester", the choice depends on the specific emphasis desired. Pay attention to avoid common errors like confusing "course" with "coarse". In summary, "over the course of the semester" is a reliable phrase for indicating progression and duration within an academic timeframe.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

during the semester

This alternative is more concise, omitting "course of" for a direct indication of time frame.

throughout the semester

This alternative emphasizes the continuous nature of the action or event during the semester.

in the duration of the semester

This phrase highlights the length of the semester as the defining factor.

within the semester

This option emphasizes enclosure within the time boundaries of the semester.

as the semester progresses

This alternative is a clause that focuses on the progression of time during the semester.

during the academic term

This phrase replaces "semester" with a more general term but retains the same time period.

in the span of the semester

This highlights the timeframe and can be used to indicate development or change.

while the semester unfolded

This alternative is more figurative, emphasizing the unfolding nature of events.

from start to end of the semester

This option explicitly states the beginning and the conclusion of the academic period.

by the end of the semester

This phrase focuses on the final stage of the semester.

FAQs

How can I use "over the course of the semester" in a sentence?

You can use "over the course of the semester" to describe events, changes, or activities that occur from the beginning to the end of an academic term. For example, "Students showed significant improvement "during the semester"."

What are some alternatives to saying "over the course of the semester"?

Alternatives include ""during the semester"", "throughout the semester", or "within the semester", depending on the context and emphasis you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "over the course of the semester"?

Yes, "over the course of the semester" is grammatically correct and commonly used in both academic and general writing to indicate a timeframe spanning the duration of a semester.

What does "over the course of the semester" emphasize compared to "at the end of the semester"?

"Over the course of the semester" emphasizes a process, development, or activity happening gradually from start to end. In contrast, "at the end of the semester" focuses on the final outcome or result.