Lesson 6.5: Verb Tense, Voice and Reporting in Academic Writing

Introduction

In this lesson, students will explore the critical components of verb tense, voice, and reporting in academic writing. Understanding these elements is essential for constructing clear, coherent, and formal academic texts. By the end of the lesson, students will be equipped to make appropriate verb tense choices when conveying established knowledge and specific studies, utilize reporting structures accurately, and maintain tense consistency throughout their writing.

Learning Objectives:

Understand conventional tense use in academic writing (present for established knowledge, past for specific studies).
Learn the appropriate tense choices when reporting research and citing sources.
Identify reporting structures and the verbs that introduce sources accurately.
Explore conditionals and modals for expressing possibility, necessity, and recommendation.
Maintain tense consistency across a piece of writing.

1. Conventional Tense Use in Academic Writing

1.1 Present Tense for Established Knowledge

In academic writing, the present tense is typically used to express facts, general truths, and established knowledge. This usage is crucial because it conveys the ongoing validity of the information. For instance, when discussing theories, established concepts, or universally accepted facts, the present tense is the norm.

Example:

"The theory of relativity explains the relationship between space and time."

In this sentence, the present tense ("explains") indicates that this knowledge is still considered valid.

1.2 Past Tense for Specific Studies

Conversely, the past tense is used to refer to specific research, studies, and experiments that have been completed. This tense indicates that the information cited refers to past events or findings.

Example:

"Smith (2020) conducted a study that revealed significant differences in test scores."

Here, "conducted" and "revealed" are in the past tense, signaling that these events occurred in the past.

1.3 Combining Tense Use

Often, academic texts will combine the use of present and past tenses. Understanding how and when to make these transitions is vital for clarity and coherence in writing.

Example:

"According to Johnson (2019), the data indicates that exercise improves mental health."

In this sentence, "indicates" (present) is used for presenting the findings of Johnson's research while "according to" (past) is used to reference the study itself.

2. Tense Choices When Reporting Research and Citing Sources

2.1 Importance of Accurate Tense Usage

Accurate tense usage in reporting other researchers' work is critical. It not only reflects the time of the original work but also helps the reader understand the relationship between the current text and the cited sources.

2.2 Using Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is commonly used to link current knowledge with past research. This can effectively communicate the relevance of earlier studies to present discussions.

Example:

"Researchers have shown that social media impacts mental health."

Here, "have shown" indicates that the research findings are relevant to the current understanding of the topic.

2.3 Quoting and Paraphrasing

When quoting or paraphrasing research, ensure that the tense is consistent with the original author's intent. If the original statement is in the past tense, you may need to maintain that tense. Adjust the reporting verb accordingly.

Example of Quoting:

Original: “The results were significant.”
Report: Smith (2020) stated, “The results were significant.” (past tense is maintained)

Example of Paraphrasing:

Original: “The results were significant.”
Report: Smith (2020) finds that the results are significant. (tense changes appropriately)

3. Reporting Structures and Verbs

3.1 Reporting Verbs

Certain verbs are commonly used to report information from other sources. The choice of verb can affect the meaning conveyed, so it's important to choose verbs that accurately reflect the original author's intent. Common reporting verbs include:

"argue"
"claim"
"suggest"
"demonstrate"

3.2 Structure of Reporting

The structure of reporting is also essential to maintain clear communication. When presenting research, it often helps to introduce the source first, followed by the verb and the content that the source presents.

Example:

"Johnson (2021) suggests that regular exercise can enhance cognitive function."

Understanding how to construct sentences with these reporting structures ensures clarity in attributing ideas to their sources.

4. Conditionals and Modals in Academic Writing

4.1 Understanding Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences are pivotal for expressing hypotheses. They generally consist of an "if" clause and a main clause. Conditionals can express possibilities or hypothetical situations, which is useful in academic contexts such as discussing implications or predictions.

Example:

"If students study regularly, they will likely perform better on exams."

4.2 Modals for Expressing Possibility and Necessity

Modals (such as can, could, may, might, must) also play a crucial role in expressing degrees of possibility, necessity, and recommendation. Using modals correctly can strengthen arguments or hypotheses.

Example:

"This method may lead to improved results."

Understanding which modal fits in context allows academic writers to convey their arguments more persuasively.

5. Maintaining Tense Consistency

5.1 The Importance of Consistency

Consistency in verb tense is key to ensuring clarity and coherence in academic writing. Switching tenses can confuse readers and obscure the relationships between ideas.

5.2 Strategies for Consistency

Outline the writing: Before writing, outline the major points and their corresponding verb tenses.
Proofreading: After completing drafts, check for unexpected tense shifts.
Peer Review: Solicit feedback from peers to identify tense inconsistencies.

5.3 Example of Maintaining Tense

Consider the following passage and its revision:

Original: "Smith (2019) conducted a study that shows growing trends."
Revised: "Smith (2019) conducted a study that showed growing trends."

In this revised version, both verbs maintain past tense for clarity. It's essential always to check for continuity in verb tense throughout the entire piece of writing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the roles and correct usages of verb tense, voice, and reporting in academic writing is crucial for effective communication. Being deliberate with tense choices can enhance the clarity and professionalism of academic texts. By accurately reporting research with consistent tense and employing appropriate reporting structures, students will greatly improve their academic writing skills.

Study Notes

Present tense is used for established knowledge.
Past tense applies to completed research.
Use present perfect to connect past research with current discussions.
Reporting verbs help clarify the author's intent.
Conditional and modal verbs express complexity in academic arguments.
Maintaining tense consistency improves clarity in writing.