Which Verb Tenses to Use in a Research Paper

Summary

The video script emphasizes the importance of adhering to grammar and style conventions in academic writing to ensure clear communication. It explains the use of verb tenses—simple present, past, and present perfect—in different sections of a research paper. The simple present is used for general facts and future applications, the past tense for completed events, and the present perfect for ongoing or recently completed events without a specific time. The script provides guidelines for verb tense usage in abstracts, introductions, literature reviews, methods, discussion, and conclusions. It advises checking journal guidelines and reading examples for better understanding and concludes with the golden rule of academic writing: always verify the formatting guidelines and practice to improve.

Takeaways

• 📜 **Follow Conventions**: Adhering to grammar and style conventions is crucial for clear communication and meeting journal standards.
• 📝 **Verb Tenses**: Understanding when to use past, present, and present perfect tenses is essential for effective academic writing.
• 🕒 **Tense Usage**: The choice of verb tense depends on the section of the paper and the nature of the information being conveyed.
• 🔍 **APA, AMA, MLA**: Familiarize yourself with the specific formatting styles like APA, AMA, MLA, as they guide tense usage.
• ✅ **Completed Work**: Use the past tense to describe events, studies, or experiments that have been completed.
• 🔬 **Ongoing or Recent Work**: The present perfect tense is suitable for describing events with no specific time or those that are still ongoing.
• 📊 **Abstract Tenses**: The abstract typically uses the simple present tense for general statements and the present perfect for recent findings.
• 📚 **Introduction Tenses**: Discuss effects and previous research using the present and past tenses, respectively.
• 🧬 **Methods Section**: Use the past tense to detail what was done in your study, favoring the passive voice for actions.
• 📈 **Discussion Tenses**: Summarize your findings with the simple past tense and use the present tense to interpret their significance.
• ✍️ **Conclusion Tenses**: Use the present perfect to confirm lasting relevance and the present tense to suggest further research.
• 📘 **Formatting Guidelines**: Always check the journal's guidelines and read examples to understand how to correctly structure your paper.

Q & A

Why is it important to follow grammar and style conventions in academic writing?

Following grammar and style conventions is important in academic writing to abide by the accepted journal, institution, and domain standards, and to clearly communicate the research process, timing, and perspective to the reader.

Should I always use the past tense when writing an academic paper since everything has already been completed?

No, not always. Knowing which tense to use requires understanding the formatting style (such as APA, AMA, MLA, etc.) and discretion in choosing the tense that makes the most sense for a given statement.

What are the three main verb tenses used in a research paper?

The three main verb tenses used in a research paper are present simple, past simple, and present perfect.

What is the general usage of the present tense in academic writing?

The present tense is used to talk about general facts, discuss current meanings and implications, and suggest future applications.

How is the simple past tense used in academic writing?

The simple past tense is used to talk about events that have already been completed, such as studies, experiments, or phenomena that occurred in a locatable time or place in the past.

What is the purpose of the present perfect tense in a research paper?

The present perfect tense is used to describe events that have occurred at some unidentified time in the past or have recently been completed or are still ongoing.

Which verb tense is generally used in the abstract of a research paper?

In the abstract, the simple past is generally used, or the present perfect for general statements of facts and analysis of findings.

How should verb tense be used in the introduction of a research paper?

In the introduction, the present tense is applied when discussing effects with earlier research, and the past tense is used for efforts by the author or another group.

What verb tense should be used in the methods section of a research paper?

In the methods section, the past tense should be used to talk about what was done, such as experimental procedures.

How does verb tense usage differ in the discussion section of a research paper?

In the discussion section, the simple past is used to summarize findings, and the present tense is used for interpreting the significance of those findings.

What is the golden rule of research papers regarding verb tense according to the script?

The golden rule is to check the formatting guidelines of the journal or conference to which you are submitting and read plenty of examples to understand how authors construct their papers.