Passive voice in research papers. Using the Active and Passive Voices in Academic Writing 2022-10-28

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The use of passive voice in research papers is a controversial topic, with some arguing that it can make writing more objective and others claiming that it can make writing more cumbersome and less engaging. In this essay, we will examine the pros and cons of using passive voice in research papers and provide some tips for effectively incorporating it into your writing.

One advantage of using passive voice in research papers is that it can help to emphasize the importance of the research itself, rather than the researchers who conducted the study. By using phrases such as "the experiment was conducted" or "the data was analyzed," the focus is placed on the actions being described, rather than the individuals performing those actions. This can be especially useful in scientific writing, where objectivity and impartiality are highly valued.

However, there are also drawbacks to using passive voice in research papers. Some argue that it can make writing less engaging and more difficult to understand, as it can often result in lengthy, convoluted sentences. Additionally, using passive voice can obscure the agency of the researchers, making it unclear who is responsible for the actions being described. This can be especially problematic in cases where the researchers are attempting to take responsibility for their work or are being held accountable for their actions.

So, should you use passive voice in your research papers? The answer is not necessarily. While passive voice can be useful in certain situations, it is important to consider the context and purpose of your writing. If you are trying to emphasize the importance of the research itself or want to present the information in a more objective manner, passive voice can be a useful tool. However, if you are trying to convey a sense of ownership or agency, or if you want to make your writing more engaging and easy to understand, it may be better to use active voice instead.

If you do decide to use passive voice in your research papers, there are a few tips you can follow to ensure that it is used effectively:

  1. Use passive voice sparingly: Overuse of passive voice can make your writing difficult to follow and less engaging. Consider using it only when it is necessary to emphasize the importance of the research or to maintain objectivity.

  2. Keep sentences concise: Passive voice tends to result in longer, more complex sentences. To avoid confusing your reader, try to keep your sentences as concise as possible.

  3. Use active voice wherever possible: While passive voice can be useful in certain situations, active voice is generally easier to read and more engaging. Consider using active voice whenever possible to make your writing more accessible and engaging.

In conclusion, the use of passive voice in research papers is a topic of debate, with some arguing that it can make writing more objective and others claiming that it can make writing more cumbersome and less engaging. While it can be useful in certain situations, it is important to consider the context and purpose of your writing before deciding whether to use passive voice. By following the tips outlined above, you can effectively incorporate passive voice into your research papers without sacrificing clarity or engagement.

Active vs. Passive Voice

passive voice in research papers

Make your text shine! Should they depart from tradition and stop using the passive voice completely? The use of the passive voice in research papers has traditionally been favored; however, in recent years, more journals have started to prefer the active voice in research papers. It is not as engaging and does not give the reader much information about what happened. Despite the clear preference given to the active voice structure in the English language it is possible to say that there are still situations in which passive voice is also welcome. Their writing is also at risk of being repetitive. How to Make a Decision on Which Voice to Use There is still much debate over the topic of what voice to use and when is still going, and on discussing the situations in which passive voice constructions appear to be more appropriate it is necessary to consider those cases in which active voice becomes a dominant preference. But after the release and th Edition style of academic writing, the trend to change the sentences from active to passive voice decreased and the use of active voice in research papers has increased significantly. It helps you know if you need to change passive voice to active voice in the first place, as well as aid the changing process.

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Active Vs Passive Voice in Research Article Writing

passive voice in research papers

Would using the active voice lend that scholarly tone to the article? Also, note that by eliminating the agent we have also decreased the word count, which makes the passive construction leaner than the active voice in this case. Trying to convert Methods into scienfic poetry is a fool's task. In this study, we investigated the effect of stiffness on contact behavior. However, if you make a few slip-ups from time to time, you can use quality writing tools to change passive voice sentences to active voice. Thus, one can see that the careful study of the grammatical forms of verbs is essentially important to avoid misunderstanding or grammar mistakes that one can face while operating with verbs and making particular transformations with them. Forgetting to include important background details that describe the unresolved problem that you will investigate and describe in the abstract. Should abstracts be in past tense? Active and Passive Voice in Materials and Methods Sections Scientific research papers are usually divided into four sections: Introduction, Materials and Methods or Methods , Results, and Discussion.


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passive voice in papers?

passive voice in research papers

How to change passive voice to active voice The subtle changes in the subject and object position of a sentence give birth to the active and passive voice. The best way to avoid confusion with passive voice is to make sure that the verb agrees with who or what you want as your subject and that you include any important information that was omitted by using an introductory phrase or clause. While this rule generally applies to research writing, there are some definite differences in application—this accounts for why there are so many sentences in scientific journal articles using the passive voice construction. According to another analysis, language editing before submitting a manuscript can raise its chances of acceptances by up to 24%. Writing in the active voice means the subject of the sentence clearly performs the action that the verb expresses. When in doubt, use active voice liberally when you need objectivity, and use passive voice when it is required. However, Stilman 1997 also outlines the main factors that may speak for using passive voice to make the text more coherent and easy to comprehend.

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How to use active or passive voice in research papers

passive voice in research papers

Such oversights can lead to something more undesirable than lack of grammatical exactness; they can also lead to scientific inexactness. In some sentences, passive voice can be perfectly acceptable. The passive voice emphasizes insulin, and is therefore preferable in this context. It is still the only treatment available for diabetes. It is important to consider what you are trying to emphasize in a particular sentence or section of your paper. Here are some generic guidelines that will make it easier for you to decide when to use the active voice and when the passive.

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Passive Voice in Scientific Writing

passive voice in research papers

However, more often than not, the active voice is the better option. And since they are usually longer than active sentences, passive sentences take up precious room in your paper: Since the car was being driven by Michael at the time of the accident, the damages should be paid for by him. PCR was performed with high resolution Taq polymerase and with forward primers ITS1F, LROR, and LR3R and reverse primers. The passive voice lends an impersonal tone, which is perceived to be formal, but can make the text more wordy and difficult to understand, especially when used in long sentences. The sentences in the active voice emphasize those who did the actions; when these sentences are transformed, the doer loses his or her importance and the action becomes the focus of attention.

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Guideline on How to Get Rid of Passive Voice in Research Paper Writing

passive voice in research papers

The diverse usage of different grammar structures will always indicate the great command of English the speaker or writer has, but everything should be done with consideration of measures and limits — then passive voice structures will not look awkward and overloading in any text. Their writing is also at risk of being repetitive. So, which is preferable, the active or the passive voice? However, the passive voice may be used, with intention, to remove the emphasis on the subject and also as a method for varying sentence structure. Conclusion Generally, I prefer active voice, but I think the passive voice has its place in scientific writing. APA recommends the active voice for clarity.

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Should scientific papers be active or passive voice? [Facts!]

passive voice in research papers

However when I use a grammar checker it will say "passive voice" and suggest to correct this, however what choice should I make when writing a scientific paper? Simply put, the performer CRISPR is the main focus in the active voice, whereas the recipient DNA is the star of the show in the passive voice. When the action is more important: When discussing an experimental procedure, the focus is on what was done, not on who did it. I created a convenience sample of 68 teachers. But still it is hard to say that passive voice is completely unnecessary. Passive voice leads to ambiguous actors One of the key problems with passive voice is that it is easy to leave actor ambiguity. After loading the data set is called a nominative absolute.


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Active and Passive Voice

passive voice in research papers

Example: I conducted a study of job satisfaction and turnover. Thus, the active voice is more appropriate when you wish to emphasize a decision that you took as authors of a study. The passive voice places the emphasis on your experiment rather than on you. Passive voice is used when the subject of a sentence receives the action Passive voice is an important topic for college students writing papers. . E-mail addresses of teachers who fit the requirements for participation were provided by the principal of the school.

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Passive Voice: When to Use It and When to Avoid It

passive voice in research papers

Also, much like for Here are some examples of scholarly writing in the active voice: Example: I will present the results of this study at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCD conference. Results section: The passive voice is also preferable when describing the results of a study as the presentation of results calls for objectivity. Whereas Introductions and Discussions should frequently use active voice and even first person active voice, the Methods section should not. If you write keeping this in mind, no journal reviewer will need to give you feedback about the active and passive voice. To avoid mistakes, be sure to adhere to the exact word count and formatting structure.


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Passive Voice Constructions in English

passive voice in research papers

The passive voice lends an impersonal tone to the writing which was perceived to be more objective and formal. What are the ten most common errors made in research papers? You may have been taught in school that you should always use the active voice, especially when giving speeches and when writing fiction or persuasive essays, as it emphasizes the subject and makes your sentences leaner and stronger. Here are three circumstances in which using the passive voice can be a good decision. It's amusing or at least it amuses me that no one has commented on the real problem with your sentence -- the dangling absolute. The core focus of the reference style organization APA was on the simplicity and clarity of the academic writing by using active voice more effectively. Note how using the active voice in the second sentence helps the reader make a clear mental transition from previous studies to the present study. Active vs Passive Voice: The Difference Between the Two Passive voice is a less direct way of expressing an idea.

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