Dissertations: Language

In the literature review you should:

• Summarise and synthesise the most important ideas from a range of relevant documents on the topic.
• Identify any problems with the literature, such as gaps or limitations.

Thus, the verb tenses commonly used in literature review section include:

Reporting Verbs

When you include a reference in your text – whether it's a quote, paraphrase or summary – you will probably use a reporting verb. Be careful, as they can have different meanings, even if some of the differences in meaning are quite subtle.  Reporting verbs can show your opinion of others’ ideas: 

• a belief that the literature is correct (stronger position). For example: If you write, ‘Smith (2023) discovered that . . . ‘, you are accepting their position.
• a neutral attitude towards the veracity of the literature (i.e. neither correct nor incorrect – neutral position). For example: If you write, ‘Smith (2023) concludes that . . . ‘, you are adopting a neutral stance.
• a belief that the literature is incorrect (weaker position). For example: If you write, ‘Smith (2023) alleges that . . . ‘, you are viewing their work in a suspicious light, casting doubt on their opinion.

Tip: Use a range of reporting verbs and avoid using the same reporting verb over and over (e.g. state)  state)

Here is a list of common reporting verbs that you can use depending on their function and strength:

*You will often use the present simple with reporting verbs e.g. Evidence suggest that, however you will use other tenses also. 

For more examples of language used in literature reviews, have a look at the ‘Referring to Sources’ section of the Academic Phrasebank.
 

Information in the methods section might include information about the instruments and information about the experimental procedure. Verb tenses commonly used in the method section include:

For more examples of language used in methods, have a look at the ‘Describing methods’ section of the Academic Phrasebank. 

Passive vs Active Voice

The passive voice is useful to switch the focus from who is doing something to what is being done (i.e., avoid personal language such as 'I' or 'We'). The “who” becomes less important than the “what”.

For example:
Active Voice - I sorted the samples according to size.  

Passive Voice - The samples were sorted according to size.

Top Tips

• Using the passive voice sounds more formal and is used a lot in academic writing
• However, overusing the passive could make your writing seem 'flat' and uninteresting.
• Try to vary sentence structure and, where possible, avoid too many passive sentences in a row.
• Remember, the active voice may be preferable to draw attention to who has been carrying out the action. Sometimes it is important to show who is doing the action. You will have to use your judgement as best you can.

The results section commonly includes tables and figures. The writing around the figures and tables serves to introduce what they are and what conditions you obtained them under, as well as guiding the reader to understand the features in your results. 
Verb tenses commonly used in the results section include:

Using tables and figures 

The description of tables and figures in academic written texts commonly includes two different elements: 

• Location or summary statement: identifies the table or figure and indicates the content
• Highlighting statement or statements: point out and describe the relevant or significant data

Dos and Don’ts of using tables and figures 

For more examples of language used in results sections, have a look at the ‘Reporting Results’ section of the Academic Phrasebank.
 

In the discussion section you will compare your results with the previous literature and highlight the importance of your results. The conclusion is an opportunity to restate the aims or key questions and to summarise the key points raised in the results and discussion sections.
Verb tenses commonly used in the discussion and conclusion sections include:

For more examples of language used in discussions and conclusions, have a look at the ‘Discussing Findings’ and ‘Writing Conclusions’ sections of the Academic Phrasebank.
 

The conclusion section can also contain recommendations and implications for practice, or these can be placed in a separate section. This section discusses events that may happen in the future. However, no writer can make predictions with absolute certainty. To avoid or ‘soften’ the future tense you can use:

For more examples of language used for recommendations, have a look at the ‘Setting Out Recommendations for Practice or Policy’ in the ‘Writing Conclusions’ section of the Academic Phrasebank.

Hedging or cautious language

In academic writing, the use of hedging or cautious language is a common practice employed to acknowledge uncertainty, limitations, or alternative perspectives within a study. This cautious language is utilized to convey a balanced and objective approach, recognizing the complexity of research findings and the inherent uncertainties that exist. Hedging can be achieved through various linguistic strategies, such as using modal verbs (e.g., may, might, could), cautious adverbs (e.g., possibly, potentially), or phrases that indicate probability (e.g., it is likely that, there is evidence to suggest). By incorporating such expressions, academic writers signal their awareness of the potential limitations and provide a nuanced and accurate representation of the research, fostering intellectual humility and encouraging further investigation. The use of hedging or cautious language ensures that academic discourse is characterized by careful deliberation, integrity, and transparency.

For more examples of hedging or cautious language, have a look at "Using cautious language" section of the Academic Phrasebank.