"The data is" or "the data are"?

Question

I'm an engineer, but I'm also a scientist. This makes my life tricky in many ways. One of the more trivial is that engineers (especially computer people) tend to say "the data is..." while scientits say "the data are..." Both insist that they are right. I'm not really looking for any arguments from authority (Dr. so and so says "data is the plural of datum in Latin" sorts of things). I just want to hear some people's own thoughts on the matter.

Thanks.

Cheers.

Answer 1

"Data are" is the correct form. But there's a tendency to accept the word data as singular , so you can also see "Data is".

I prefer "data are" in my writings but I'm not very obsessed with it. It doesn't crack my nerves when I see it used as "data is".

I think in the future it's going to be used as "data is" and this is a transition period. Language changes overtime.

Answer 2

You already have the answer. Using the plural version reflects the Latin etymology of the word. Using the singular version reflects the more progressive reanalysis of the word as singular.

So I think what you're really asking is whether you want to be conservative or progressive. My answer is: do whatever will give you the social consequences that you want.

That will depend on you and the audience that you are writing for. If the audience expects you to use very conservative grammar rules, definitely go with the plural form. If your audience expects you to be progressive, go with the singular.

If your business has some sort of styleguide or manual for technical writing that it uses, go there to discover the answer to this question. If you are writing for a journal, you can check that journal's style recommendations. If not, you can actually talk to the person for whom you are writing the document: your boss, your client, or whoever. Ask them the question you are asking us.

If all of that fails, make your decision on the impression that you want to give. Do you see yourself more as an engineer or more as a scientist? You can ally yourself with one group or the other by your choice of verb.

The answers to all these questions should help you to see which form will give you what you want. After you've figured that out, go out and conjugate freely, but consistently.

Answer 3

"Data" is indeed the plural of the Latin word "datum".
So, since it is plural, the only 100% correct way to say it is:
The data ARE ... ".

But don't worry about it too much. More Latin words are not understood to be singular or plural.
A celebrated mistake is to use the sentence: "I'm an ALUMNI of ... ". Alumni is plural of alumnus.

Answer 4

Technically..."the data are" is correct.
However, you'll sound like a frickin moron if you say it that way.

"Data" is the plural of "datum", but in modern English, we treat "data" as a singluar word; so just stick with "the data is."

Answer 5

I believe "the data are" is correct. I've always learned that "data" is plural for the same Latin reasoning you just put forth. Good luck.

Answer 6

My understanding is that documents manipulation occurs while the information is in each single place and not uncomplicated to understand, make experience of. Scientists will control it so as that they are in a position to understand, make experience of it. they do no longer forget that they are manipulating the information so as that they might make an errors or errors. yet a minimum of they have something that they are in a position to certainly artwork with for use. it would be incorrect in the event that they did no longer point out that the information grew to become into manipulated. we would like order and it does not consistently exist in nature. we will not artwork with chaos - no longer properly. we attempt to create order so it supplies something the place we are in a position to take action. we've a objective in recommendations. Math and technology are heavily appropriate. it truly is not ideal yet howdy issues are not consistently so neat and enormously.

Answer 7

Is the data plural? Many pieces of data, or one? That will determine the verb tense.

Answer 8

Data is plural form of Datum. So, it is "Data are" when plural and "Datum is" when its singular.

Answer 9

"Data are" is correct. "Data is" is a very common misusage.

Data is plural, datum is singular.

Answer 10

Data are. (since singular of data is datum).