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Should the research proposal be written in future tense ("will") or present tense?

I'm writing my methodology and keep switching between "the study will use surveys" and "the study uses surveys." Which is correct? Does the tense change for different sections like the literature review vs. the plan?

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By Debashis Mohapatra Answered 1 year ago

Tense usage is a subtle marker of scholarly writing skill. Follow these conventions: 1) Literature Review: Use present tense for established knowledge ("Smith argues that...") and past tense for specific study findings ("The 2020 experiment demonstrated..."). 2) Research Gap/Problem Statement: Use present tense ("A gap exists..."). 3) Aims, Objectives, Methodology: Use future tense ("This study will employ..." or "The objective is to analyze..."). The future tense is standard here as you are describing planned work. 4) Expected Outcomes: A mix is okay; often future tense ("The research will contribute") or present tense to state the value ("This contribution is significant because..."). Consistency within sections is key. Using future tense for your plan is correct and shows confident planning.

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