e.g., The survey was completed by participants and returned to the researcher.In the above sentence, the people who performed the action (those who completed the survey) are not mentioned. When using passive voice, the performer of the action may or may not be identified later in the sentence. Passive voice emphasized the receiver of the action, and the subject of the sentence receives the action. In the above sentence, the performer of the action (participants) comes before the action itself (completed). Generally, you should choose active voice unless you have a specific reason to choose passive voice (see below for those instances).Į.g., Participants completed the survey and returned it to the reader. When in doubt, consult academic publications in your field and talk to your instructor - doing these things should give you a good sense of what's expected.Īctive voice emphasizes the performer of the action, and the performer holds the subject position in the sentence. However, these guidelines are fluid, and STEM writers are increasingly using active voice in their writing. In contrast, arts and humanities programs have stressed the importance of active voice. Helpful Tip: traditionally, writers in STEM fields have used passive voice because the performer of an action in a scientific document is usually less important than the action itself. Recognizing the differences between active and passive voice, including when each is generally used, is a part of ensuring that your writing meets disciplinary conventions and audience expectations. In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. However, there is a rhetorical choice to be made about whether you are going to highlight the subject that performs the action or the action itself.
Strong, precise verbs are fundamental to clear and engaging academic writing. Printable version of Active and Passive Voice (PDF).
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