0
Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Use of Verb Tense in Scientific Writing
The use of verb tense in scientific writing has at times been a matter of debate among some of my coauthors and me. We agree that when describing the details of an experimental protocol (i.e., what was done), the past tense must be used.
"In order to assess the role of neuronal electrical activity of pacemaker neurons in circadian locomotor rhythmicity and cycling of the molecular clock, we expressed dORK-delta-C, dORK-delta-NC, or Kir2.1 in pacemaker neurons using the clock cell-specific pdf-GAL4 driver (Renn et al., 1999)."
We disagree, however, about which tense should be used to describe the results of an experiment (i.e., what happened).
In some instances, we use the past tense:
"Panneuronal expression of conducting dORK-delta-C resulted in 100% mortality."
The argument for using the past tense is obvious: We are describing what happened when we performed an experiment at some time in the past.
In other instances, we use the present tense:
"Most pdf-GAL4/dORK-delta-C1 flies are arrhythmic (72%), as are almost all pdf-GAL4/Kir2.1 flies from two independent Kir2.1 insertions (94% and 87%; Figure 3B)."
The argument for using the present tense is more subtle: We are describing what happens when one performs a particular experimental manipulation. Our rhetorical goal is to convince the reader that these occurrences are the result of the operation of fundamental biological principles, and not due to some idiosyncrasy of our experimental design. Use of the past tense unduly suggests the possibility that while these things happened when we performed these experiments in the past, if one were to perform similar experiments again, some other result might be obtained.
I favor the use of past tense, and find the use of present tense in this context jarring. I prefer to reserve the use of the present tense for the exposition of the general biological principles that are inferred from the experiments that were performed.
"These results indicate that electrical silencing of the LNVs abolishes circadian rhythms of locomotor behavior. Therefore, electrical activity in this small set of neurons plays an indispensable role in controlling circadian rhythmicity."
Mike Nitabach
"In order to assess the role of neuronal electrical activity of pacemaker neurons in circadian locomotor rhythmicity and cycling of the molecular clock, we expressed dORK-delta-C, dORK-delta-NC, or Kir2.1 in pacemaker neurons using the clock cell-specific pdf-GAL4 driver (Renn et al., 1999)."
We disagree, however, about which tense should be used to describe the results of an experiment (i.e., what happened).
In some instances, we use the past tense:
"Panneuronal expression of conducting dORK-delta-C resulted in 100% mortality."
The argument for using the past tense is obvious: We are describing what happened when we performed an experiment at some time in the past.
In other instances, we use the present tense:
"Most pdf-GAL4/dORK-delta-C1 flies are arrhythmic (72%), as are almost all pdf-GAL4/Kir2.1 flies from two independent Kir2.1 insertions (94% and 87%; Figure 3B)."
The argument for using the present tense is more subtle: We are describing what happens when one performs a particular experimental manipulation. Our rhetorical goal is to convince the reader that these occurrences are the result of the operation of fundamental biological principles, and not due to some idiosyncrasy of our experimental design. Use of the past tense unduly suggests the possibility that while these things happened when we performed these experiments in the past, if one were to perform similar experiments again, some other result might be obtained.
I favor the use of past tense, and find the use of present tense in this context jarring. I prefer to reserve the use of the present tense for the exposition of the general biological principles that are inferred from the experiments that were performed.
"These results indicate that electrical silencing of the LNVs abolishes circadian rhythms of locomotor behavior. Therefore, electrical activity in this small set of neurons plays an indispensable role in controlling circadian rhythmicity."
Mike Nitabach
Top answer
[nq:1]The use of verb tense in scientific writing has at times been a matter of debate among some of my coauthors and me. [/nq] Agreed. [/nq] This has always been vague for me, too.
- [nq:1]The use of verb tense in scientific writing has at times been a matter of debate among some of my coauthors and me.
- [/nq] Agreed.
- [/nq] This has always been vague for me, too.
- My tendency is to use the present tense when discussing results, because the data (although collected in the past) remain the data into the present.
- Theodore Heise (Email Removed) Bloomington, IN, USA
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
[nq:1]The use of verb tense in scientific writing has at times been a matter of debate among some of my coauthors and me. We agree that when describing the details of an experimental protocol (i.e., what was done), the past tense must be used.[/nq]
Agreed.
[nq:1]We disagree, however, about which tense should be used to describe the results of an experiment (i.e., what happened).[/nq]
T
Agreed.
[nq:1]We disagree, however, about which tense should be used to describe the results of an experiment (i.e., what happened).[/nq]
T
00
Theodore Heise (Email Removed) wrote on 22 Feb 2004:
That's a reasonable argument, but I agree with Michael. Results should be discussed in the past because they happened and are over. Results that prove something make the results a principle and, therefore, timeless, so the present tense is required.
When talking about results in a graph or table or other type of illustration, the te
That's a reasonable argument, but I agree with Michael. Results should be discussed in the past because they happened and are over. Results that prove something make the results a principle and, therefore, timeless, so the present tense is required.
When talking about results in a graph or table or other type of illustration, the te
0
Related Questions