Active or Passive? In an active-voice sentence, the subject performs the action of the verb; in a passive-voice sentence, the subject receives the action of the verb. Usually, active sentences are more precise and emphatic.
Active: Rising oil prices stimulate research into alternate energy sources.
Passive: Research into alternate energy sources is stimulated by rising oil prices
Passive allows description of procedures without constant reference to the individuals who carried them out:
The effects of human activities on seagrasses were studied at Sandy Neck and Centerville beaches from 31 March 2006 to 30 March 2010.
So what do we use!? Active? Passive? We? A balance is really the best answer, and it will depend on the purpose of your sentence. Let's look a bit further in this handout.
Literature Review: We will continue from page 6 to 12 of this in-depth introduction to lit reviews.
