Mastering verb tenses in your publications
In academic writing, nailing the right verb tense is important. Although it may sound a bit dry and boring, it helps ensure that your research results are communicated clearly and effectively.
Check out the table below for a quick and handy overview of the verb tenses used in different sections of a research paper. Each section generally uses a primary tense, but variations in tenses may occur to more precisely reflect different aspects of the research.
| Sektion | Tense | Explanation | Example |
| Abstract | Past tense | Summarises the research project and its results. | The study was conducted in collaboration with local companies. |
| Introduction | Present tense | Presents current facts and background information. | Collaboration between universities and companies is crucial. |
| Method | Past tense | Explains procedures and methods used. | Data was collected from case companies over a six-month period. |
| Results | Past tense | Describes the results obtained, but without interpretation. | The results showed an increase in productivity. |
| Discussion | Present and past tense | Analyses the results and their significance. Present tense is used to discuss the meaning of the results and past tense is used to summarise them. | Collaboration between companies will remain central to growth. (Present tense) The study clearly showed a positive effect of the collaboration. (Past tense) |
| Conclusion | Present tense (sometimes future tense) | Summarises the key findings and their implications or suggests further research. Present tense is used to emphasise relevance, while future tense is used for discussing future research. | The findings indicate that their collaboration continues to drive innovation. (Present tense) Future studies will need to explore long-term impacts of these collaborations. (Future tense) |