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In the following sentence:

Since there are many row values at each step of the process, one approach we thought about is to aggregate all the row values into a single value

What is the alternative of one “we thought about” in academic writing?

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    I think I can offer a solution to your underlying problem but it has little to do with the English language (and thus does not fit here, but rather on [acdemia.se] or Writing) and I can be more specific when you provide more context: What happened to your thoughts? Why do you mention them to begin with?
    – Wrzlprmft
    Commented Mar 8, 2019 at 12:22
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    'Considered' is doubtless easily found by simple research, and is an ELL level answer.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jun 28, 2022 at 17:55

3 Answers 3

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Since there are many row values at each step of the process, one approach we considered was to aggregate all the row values into a single value

Since there are many row values at each step of the process, one approach we contemplated was to aggregate all the row values into a single value

https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/consider

examined or scrutinised would also work.

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    +1 for "considered". I think that is the idiomatic option.
    – k1eran
    Commented Mar 8, 2019 at 16:38
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Some other options Since there are many row values at each step of the process, one approach we evaluated was to aggregate all the row values into a single value.

https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/evaluate?s=t

Assessed and surveyed would also work

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    Although the thesaurus may list these words as synonyms, it does not mean that they are exactly equivalent in all instances. Here, I would suggest that "considered" and "contemplated" are equivalent to one another and to op's phrase “we thought about”. But, to me, "evaluated" implies a bit more than mere consideration: it implies that we actually studied it in more detail, maybe even carried out a few tests (depending on what "it" actually is). Hence, I don't think that "evaluated" is an appropriate replacement for "we thought about".
    – TrevorD
    Commented Mar 8, 2019 at 16:55
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    True, "evaluated" is different than "considered" for the reasons you listed. I was not simply offering synonyms but possible interpretations of "thought about". In looking at the context of the sentence "aggregate all the row values into a single value" was a detailed solution that may have been more than considered but actually evaluated or assessed.
    – David
    Commented Mar 8, 2019 at 18:38
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In your sentence, all the following verbs and phrasal verbs will make sense:

  1. Contemplate

  2. Mull over

  3. Chew over

  4. Deliberate

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  • Please do not include generic website 'recommendations' and other superfluous comments in your answers. I have amended your answer to remove those.
    – TrevorD
    Commented Mar 10, 2019 at 0:41
  • "Chew over" is not academic or formal. "Mull over" doesn't sound quite right for the context either; it is more used for moral dilemmas or similar tricky decisions, than scientific investigations involving practical examination and research.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Jun 28, 2022 at 11:41

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