over the course of this semester

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "over the course of this semester" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the duration or span of time during a semester, often in an academic context. Example: "Over the course of this semester, we will explore various topics in depth and engage in meaningful discussions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Over the course of this semester, my students interviewed over 50 key decision makers and sustainability planners, and collectively worked over 1,500 hours to write a superb report on the work now underway to make our cities more sustainable.

Huffington Post

It's a story I've heard repeatedly over the course of this semester, on Thursday afternoons, in a stuffy lecture hall where community health leaders from the St . Louisarea come to briefly talk about their work and its challenges.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Interview data suggested that students generally felt an increase in SE over the course of the semester or academic year, and many attributed this to familiarization with the university, the course, and the group that they were in.

Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education

Chronological analysis of quizzes allowed for tracking improvement in performance on this type of interpretation competency over the course of the semester.

CBE Life Sciences Education

The authors questioned the rigor of college course schedules and found, for example, that 32 percent of the students they followed did not, in a typical semester, take "any courses with more than 40 pages of reading per week," and that 50 percent "did not take a single course in which they wrote more than 20 pages over the course of the semester".

The New York Times

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

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

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

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

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "over the course of this semester", ensure that the context clearly indicates a process, change, or development that unfolds gradually. It's ideal for describing progress, learning, or transformations that happen as the semester progresses.

Common error

Avoid using "over the course of this semester" to describe single, instantaneous events. This phrase implies a duration and progression, making it unsuitable for punctual occurrences. For single events, use "during the semester" or "this semester" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over the course of this semester" functions as a prepositional phrase, specifically an adverbial phrase. It modifies a verb or clause by indicating the time frame during which an action or event takes place. Ludwig AI confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "over the course of this semester" is a grammatically sound and usable prepositional phrase that functions adverbially, specifying a duration within an academic term. Ludwig AI analysis shows that it’s primarily used in scientific and news media contexts. While not exceptionally frequent, it serves to indicate a process or development occurring gradually throughout the semester. When using the phrase, ensure that it correctly conveys a sense of progression rather than a single, instantaneous event. Alternatives like "during the semester" or "throughout the semester" can be considered for brevity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

during the semester

This is a more concise alternative, focusing on the timeframe without emphasizing the progression.

throughout the semester

This phrase highlights the continuous nature of an event or activity occurring within the semester.

in the duration of this semester

This option explicitly mentions the "duration", making it suitable when highlighting the length of the timeframe.

within this semester's timeframe

Similar to the previous alternative, this one emphasizes the "timeframe" aspect.

spanning the length of the semester

This alternative provides a slightly more formal or descriptive way to express the duration.

as the semester progresses

This emphasizes the ongoing nature and development during the semester.

during the period of the semester

This is a more formal and slightly more verbose alternative.

in the time frame of this semester

This alternative highlights that something happened within this "time frame".

while the semester unfolded

This option provides a more literary or narrative feel, focusing on the unfolding events.

from the start to the end of the semester

This is a very explicit way to specify the timeframe, useful when precision is needed.

FAQs

What is the best way to use "over the course of this semester" in a sentence?

Use "over the course of this semester" to describe a process, a learning curve, or gradual development. For instance, "Over the course of this semester, my understanding of quantum physics deepened significantly."

Are there more concise alternatives to "over the course of this semester"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "during the semester" or "throughout the semester" for brevity. The choice depends on whether you need to emphasize the duration and progression implied by "over the course of this semester".

How does "over the course of this semester" differ from "at the end of the semester"?

"Over the course of this semester" refers to the entire period and the changes that occur within it, while "at the end of the semester" refers to a specific point in time. The former emphasizes progression, the latter emphasizes conclusion.

Is it appropriate to use "over the course of this semester" in formal writing?

Yes, "over the course of this semester" is suitable for formal writing, especially in academic reports or professional communications related to educational programs. However, consider alternatives like "throughout the semester" if conciseness is preferred.