Alaska Science Forum

This column is provided as a public service by the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, in cooperation with the UAF research community.

Unlike the laws of science, the laws of language are often subject to the will of the people. And while we cannot change carefully tested scientific truths to fit the fashion, grammarian's rules, when they no longer serve clarity or naturalness of expression, we can throw out the window.

Curiously, scientific writing often contains a mixture of wild experimentation with language and strict adherence to aging rules of usage. New words are often coined recklessly by compounding ordinary words or fragments into technical monsters or awkward hybrids. (A paper was once written about "geochronobioclimatopaleomagnetostratigraphy".) But one rule of usage is dear to every technical writer; it concerns the use of the word data.

Did you know that it is correct to say "The data have reached my desk," and "The data are conclusive," but wrong to say "The data has...," "The data is..."? A Latin word, data is the plural form of datum and therefore requires a plural verb.

Nevertheless, many people feel the word has been Americanized, that it now refers to a collective unit, and takes a singular verb. In fact, of the 136 distinguished consultants on usage polled for the 1975 Harper Dictionary of Contemporary Usage, 49% responded that they use "The data is..." in writing. And in casual speech, 65% use data as singular. Those who defend "The data is..." often point to the fact that agenda is also, strictly, a plural, but is nearly always regarded as a single list and takes a singular verb. You'll probably never hear anyone ask: "Are the agenda interesting?

Still, science is a special case; the international transfer of information is vital. Nearly every technical paper will be read by people for whom English is not the primary language, and communication is not served by constant experimentation.

So, on the issue of data in modern American usage, you might say "The data is mixed". But as for consistency in scientific writing, the data are strongly behind it.