Re-blogging: Active, Passive, Poppycock (via Speech and Science)

Seeing as I’ve just completed degree module that has required me to write “actively” despite three years of marks deductions for doing just that!

And also given the amount of complaining I’ve been making regarding that very point at uni, and the fact that at least one or two of my lecturers read the occasional post (really?!) I’m re-blogging this one so hopefully my uni will stop the “active/passive” writing crap.

What’s the betting they don’t?

Ben

Use the Active Voice! No, the passive voice should be used! This is a debate that keeps flickering up in the blogosphere. It taps into two different controversies: Subjectivity versus objectivity Quality of scientific writing The subjectivity versus objectivity debate is illustrated quite nicely by the comment thread to Sylvia McLain's recent post on active versus passive. The central assumption seems to be that using the active voice acknowledge … Read More

via Speech and Science