Why Verb Tense in Tables Matters
Most proofreading attention in Malaysian postgraduate theses goes to the prose paragraphs — the main text where arguments are built and findings are described. Tables are often treated as data containers where grammatical conventions do not apply. In fact, tables in an academic thesis contain text that requires the same grammatical care as the prose around them. Column headings, row labels, and table notes all contain words and phrases that must be grammatically consistent with each other and with the APA style conventions for their specific context. Verb tense in tables — when tables contain verb-containing phrases rather than purely numerical data — is one of the most commonly overlooked proofreading concerns in Malaysian theses.
Where Verb Tense Issues Appear in Thesis Tables
Verb tense inconsistencies in tables most commonly appear in qualitative research presentations. Thematic tables, where themes are presented with representative quotations or participant descriptions, sometimes mix present and past tense in theme labels or participant action descriptions. A table where one row reads “Participants feel isolated” (present tense) and the next reads “Supervisors provided limited support” (past tense) contains a tense inconsistency that disrupts the table’s internal coherence.
Survey item tables — where questionnaire items or interview questions are listed — also frequently contain tense inconsistencies. Items written at different stages of instrument development may mix “I find writing difficult” (present tense) with “I found academic writing to be a challenge” (past tense) without a principled reason for the variation. These inconsistencies should be standardised during proofreading to whichever tense is appropriate for the instrument’s context of use.
Checking Tables During Proofreading
During your proofreading pass, go through every table in your thesis and read the text content — headings, labels, notes, and any verbal entries — specifically looking for verb tense. If the table contains actions or states described in verb phrases, identify which tense is appropriate for the context and verify it is applied consistently throughout the table. For tables describing past data collection procedures, past tense is appropriate. For tables presenting current findings or ongoing themes, present tense is usually appropriate. For tables listing items that participants responded to, use whichever tense the items were written in originally and apply it consistently.
Also check that the tense in table labels and notes is consistent with the tense used in the surrounding prose. If your findings chapter describes themes in present tense but a table within that chapter labels themes using past tense, the inconsistency between table and text creates a small but noticeable discontinuity. Proofreading tables for verb tense consistency alongside the prose chapters ensures that every element of your thesis reflects the same standard of grammatical care.
