Abstract:
The study examined the types of tense used in the results and discussion
sections of academic writings in M.Phil. theses in English and Health Science
in the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. The mixed method approach was used
for the study. The sample was drawn, using purposive and simple random
sampling techniques. The total sample for the study was 20 M.Phil. theses.
The quantitative approach of data analysis was used to analyse research
question one and results presented in frequencies and percentages. Research
questions two and three were analysed qualitatively. The descriptive, content,
case and inductive analyses were generally adopted in organising the data for
analysis. The study revealed that the simple present and simple past tense
occurred most frequently in the results and discussion section of the M.Phil.
theses in English Language and Health Sciences. The analysis revealed that
the use of tense in the results and discussion section of the English and Health
Science theses writing has some functions which include: advance labelling,
recapitulation, commentary and evaluation, signalling, and references to
previous research. The study revealed that there are number of factors that
play a crucial role in tense choice and variation; the temporal references
factors, the basic meanings of tenses, and uses of tense affect tense choice in
academic writing. Variation in the choice of tense in thesis writing is also
influenced by the author’s point of view, disciplinary culture, and purpose of
writing. It was recommended that in a follow-up activity, the candidates could
take partial or complete authentic texts from their own disciplines and identify
the categories of the future, occurrences in each rhetorical section, and
communicative purposes.
