Passive sentences are formal, impersonal, and occasionally even shorter, making them just as significant as active voice sentences if used in the right way. It does not imply that sentences in the passive voice have no place in your research articles. This is because scientific articles should be simple to read and comprehend, and most sentences written in the active voice are succinct, straightforward, and vigorous. Journals like Science and Nature encourage researchers to use, whenever appropriate, active voice in research papers 2.
The use of passive voice in research papers has traditionally been favored however, in recent years, more journals have started to prefer the use of active voice in research papers. When you write a research paper, active or passive voice usage makes a significant difference to how your words are interpreted. When should you use active or passive voice in research papers ?
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. The author wants to draw attention to how the DNA can be edited by CRISPR. In this example, DNA is the object of the CRISPR action (editing). When you use passive voice in scientific writing, emphasis is given to the subject (person or object) receiving the action (of the verb).Į.g., The DNA can be edited by a new gene editing tool, CRISPR (Passive) The use of CRISPR as the agent in this sentence serves to highlight the significance of CRISPR as a tool for gene editing.
When you use active voice in research papers, the agent-a person or object-doing the stated “action”-receives emphasis.Į.g., CRISPR is a new gene editing tool that edits the DNA (Active) What’s the difference between active and passive voice? Which sections of the manuscript require which type of voice construction?.When should you use active or passive voice in research papers?.What’s the difference between active and passive voice?.To make it easier, we answer the most frequently asked questions in this article. It matters because choosing the right writing style is key to convey your ideas in your research paper in a clear, succinct, and convincing manner. You might be wondering at this point what the difference between active and passive voice is and why it matters so much when only the research should be of concern. As a result, the reader is left unsure of the authors’ intended message and which section to focus on. Balance is crucial here, though sticking to just one voice structure can not only make the article boring but also ambiguous at times. The simple answer is that usage and preference of one over the other is arbitrary and depends on the point that you, the researcher, are trying to make 1.
#Active vs passive voice in research writing how to#
In fact, once you are sure about what to include in your research article, the next big question usually is how to include this information and which writing voice to use.īeing uncertain about whether to use the active or passive voice in research papers is actually quite common. Many young researchers are unsure about when and where to use active or passive voice in research papers.
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