Understanding the Use of Tenses in a Literature Review

By Rabiu Aminu, PhD, FCNA, FMNES

Writing a literature review involves understanding the meanings of different verb tenses and using them accurately and appropriately. This guide looks at the use of tenses in literary reviews so that you can be sure to sound professional in your academic paper.

 

Identify the Types of Tenses Used in a Literature Review

In a literature review, there are typically four tenses you may use: present simple, present perfect, past simple, and future. Present simple is used to refer to an event or fact that happened (or happens) regularly in the past. Present perfect tense is used to refer to something that happened (or will happen) at least once in the past or present. Past simple indicates an action or event that began and finished at a specific time in the past. Finally, future tense is used for predictions about events or circumstances that will take place at some point in the future.

 

In a literature review, the tenses used will depend on the type of information being presented. Generally, the following tenses are used in a literature review:

 

Past tense: The majority of the literature review will be written in the past tense, as you are discussing studies, theories, and research that have already been conducted. For example, "Shehu (2010) found that...," "Jibrin (2005) proposed that..."

 

Present tense: The present tense is used when discussing a general understanding that is still true or when discussing a theory that still holds. For example, "It is widely accepted that...," "The theory of X states that..."

 

Future tense: The future tense is used when discussing directions for future research or when making recommendations for future studies. For example, "Future research should focus on...," "It is recommended that future studies investigate..."

 

It is important to maintain consistency in the tense throughout the literature review. If you are discussing a specific study or theory, it should be written in the past tense, even if you are discussing the implications of the findings in the present or future tense.

 

Finanlly, it is important to cite the sources correctly and follow the citation style that is recommended by your institution or the journal you are submitting your work to.