In academic writing, it is necessary to refer to research from others using reporting verbs. This page explains what reporting verbs are, how to use them and provides a list of verbs you can use in your assignments.
When using reporting verbs, remember to use a variety of them. If you constantly use 'reports' or 'states', your writing will become repetitive. Also, reporting verbs reflect your attitude towards the information you have included in your writing, and generally they are sorted into three categories: tentative, neutral and strong.
Compare the following sentences- can you tell which reporting verb is tentative, which is neutral and which is strong?
Common reporting verbs
Tentative
admit
caution
concede
consider
hypothesise
imply
postulate
propose
question
recommend
restate
speculate
suggest
Neutral
assume
comment
compare
contrast
define
demonstrate
discuss
examine
explain
explore
focus on
find
indicate
mention
note
observe
point out
present
reflect
regard
show
state
take into consideration
view
Strong
acknowledge
advocate
affirm
argue
assert
challenge
confirm
conclude
contend
deny
determine
dispute
doubt
emphasise
endorse
establish
highlight
infer
insist
maintain
object to
oppose
recommend
reject
refute
stress
Using tenses when reporting
Note, the tenses used when reporting published research can indicate much more than simply when something happened; the tense shows if the ideas are current. Tense use can vary a little with subject areas, so check the literature in your field for guidance. Here are some general patterns of tense use.
Present tense
Use present tense to discuss findings from the literature that are generally considered factual and current. For example: Trang (2020) emphasises that this is not the case.
Present perfect tense
Use present tense to give the general background of past research and to show that previous research still influences current thinking. For example: Research has indicated that economic factors are a major influence on the outcomes of planning strategies (Kendall, 2021; Steadman, 2022).
Past tense
Use past tense:
When describing how a previous study was conducted. For example: Smith (2021) conducted a review of data from 2022.
When referring to specific findings of previous studies. For example: Lee (2023) found that resource provision was problematic in this case.
When referring to information or theories that were considered true in the past, but outdated today. For example: Caldez (1932) claimed that the use of lead in paint created a faster-drying product.
