When you are writing, you can use words that show if the events have already happened, are happening now or will happen in the future. The past tense is used for things that have already happened.

For example, the tense may change between the methods section and the discussion section. The abstract is usually in the past tense due to it showing what has already been studied. Example: “This ...

Effective writing is readable — that is, clear, accurate, and concise. When you are writing a paper, try to get your ideas across in such a way that the audience will understand them ...