Reporting verbs

There is a wide variety of reporting verbs in the English language, some of which are detailed below:

Part 1: Advanced ways to show your attitude

Reporting verbs are a way for you, the writer, to show your attitude towards the source of information you are citing. These attitudes are either ‘positive’, ‘negative’ or ‘neutral’.

Positive

Do you agree with what the author has said? If so, use reporting verbs with a positive meaning to them. Examples:

acknowledges	affirms	analyses	applauds
argues	contends	explains	identifies
observes	persuades	proves	supports

Negative

Do you disagree with what the author has said? In this case, you can use a negative reporting verb to indicate this. Examples:

accuses	alleges	apologises	asserts
comments	confuses	doubts	guesses
hopes	intimates	questions	speculates

Neutral

Perhaps you feel neutral about the source you are citing. In this situation, you should use a neutral reporting verb. Examples:

accepts	acknowledges	adds	agrees
assures	claims	concludes	confirms
describes	expresses	maintains	recognises
reports	says	thinks

Keep in mind that there are many more reporting verbs you can use to more fully express how you feel about the sources you are using in your essays and papers.

Adapted from: The Independent Learning Centre (opens external site), Chinese University, Hong Kong, n.d. Reporting verbs, viewed 26 October 2012

Part 2: Your "writer's" voice

Academic writing at university normally requires you to use multiple information sources, and to evaluate the quality of these ideas. One important tool for doing this is reporting verbs.

Reporting verbs can show your opinion of others’ ideas:

• a belief that the literature is correct (stronger position)
• a neutral attitude towards the veracity of the literature (i.e. neither correct nor incorrect – neutral position)
• a belief that the literature is incorrect (weaker position)

Reporting verbs tell us that someone said something. However, careful selection of reporting verbs can help show your assessment of the quality of what they have said. This is a vital academic skill. It not only helps turn ordinary Pass-level work into much better work, but it also develops your critical thinking skills.

The grammar of reporting verbs

Reporting verbs have simple basic grammar. However, it can be confusing because there are two basic patterns.  Some reporting verbs belong to one pattern, some to the other, and some to both.

Pattern 1: Verb + Noun (noun phrase)

Example:

The authors show the devastating results of this policy (Smith and Jones 2008, p. 12). For example: 

Gillard (2012) indicated her + negative opinion of Abbott’s proposal.

Pinker (2002) frequently approves of + Chomsky’s theories.

Pattern 2: Verb + That + clause (i.e. sentence)

The authors show + that + this policy had 'devastating economic results' (Smith & Jones 2008, p. 12). For example: 

Gillard (2012) indicated + that + Abbott’s proposal was untenable in her opinion.

Tense

Reporting verbs are normally present simple – especially for recent articles and books. 

• Turner (2010) states that the modern nation wields more power in new ways. 

However, use the past tense if presenting the results of past research – even in recent literature. 

• The groups observed during the research showed a range of leadership styles (Kang 2006).

Adapted from:

Office of Student Success 2010, Reporting verbs, Australian Catholic University, viewed 17 October 2012. (opens external site)
University of Adelaide, Common reporting verbs for academic writing (PDF 80kB, four pages), viewed 25 October 2012.