Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
(OP)
For report writing, do any of you use past or present tense? For example, the analysis shows... or do you say...analysis has shown... OR does it even matter?





RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
I would be interested in any other opinions as to which is the best for technical writing. Or just writing in general.
Regards,
ietech
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
"Research has shown", because you are discussing something that has happened in the past.
And:
"Figure 1 shows...", when you are refering to something within the report.
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
TTFN
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
Also, first or third person doesn't really matter also, although first person is typically for narratives which an engineering report is not. Whatever you do, do not use second person. I see too many people use second person, especially for things like work instructions.
--Scott
For some pleasure reading, try FAQ731-376
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
For example,
On Saturday, I went for groceries, had a baby, and spent the night at the hospital.
The non-parrallel example,
On Saturday, I went for groceries, then had a baby, and ended up having to spend all night at the hospital.
--Scott
For some pleasure reading, try FAQ731-376
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
To me 1st person has always had more credibility as you can reasonably assume the individual who wrote whatever was an active participant while the 3rd person approach suggests the writer simply observed what others did or whatever happened.
Food for thought?
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
Can you give us an example of second person? This guy would not want to commit that heinous crime.
Jesus is THE life,
Leonard
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
metman - example of 2nd person instructions.
First you check the oil level.
Then get in the car and buckle your seatbelt.
Make sure there is no-one behind you.
Put your car in reverse and back out of your garage.
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RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
However both at school and university I have been repeatedly told that first person active is acceptable: "I next measured the spring's rate, which was 34.5 +/- 1.0 N/mm".
Mostly I stick with third person passive, just from habit.
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: Engineering Reports - Present or Past?????
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