Results And Discussion Present Or Past Tense. Use the present tense to discuss general truths and previously reported data to provide insight and to discuss conclusions. Use present tense to express general truths or facts or conclusions supported by research results that are unlikely to changein other words something that is believed to be always true.
Commenting on the results. Overall value traded of members ranges from 14 to 20 in our sample. When giving your opinion on another researchers work or bringing up the results discussion and conclusions they make in their work use the present tense.
In almost all cases these produce information facts that are in the past.
Most importantly use verb tenses as you ordinarily would in any other communication. But when you are interpreting the results or describing the significance of the findings the present tense should be used. In the discussion section the past tense is generally used to summarize the findings. To summarize use the past tense to describe what was done.