What are the benefits of using passive voice in scientific writing?

One main difference between using Active voice and passive in any writing is:- Active voice - S + V + O E.g. I + wrote + Letters Passive:- O + V + S E.g. Letters + were written + by me The beauty of the passive voice here is, that you can omit the subject and preserve the objectivity alone. E.g. Letters were written In most places, when we need to exhibit professionalism and promote the object and the action involved, sidelining the subject involved, passive voice works best.

One thing I find useful is to give an option that is not biased by my personal perspective of what I think is right or wrong. It clearly states the facts in a way that is clear from passions and ideas and states the fact for what they are. All scientific writings should be written using a passive and descriptive voice. Only opinions should be written with an active voice.

As a rule, excessive use of passive voice in writing (or in speaking for that matter) is not encouraged. However, there are several reasons why writers may choose passive sentences over active ones. First, it makes the style more formal, which is what scientific or academic writing conventions usually require. Second, there are numerous occasions when the so-called "actor" (a person or a thing) is either unknown, or irrelevant, or to the contrary, commonly known. In these cases, passive voice is more appropriate.

A voz passiva serve como termômetro para dosarmos a sobriedade e neutralidade do nosso texto e pesquisa, fazendo com que nos afastemos dos julgamentos pessoais e das nossas próprias visões que podem deturpar o processo científico. Enquanto pesquisadores e promotores de um conhecimento que deve ter a capacidade de considerar todas as variáveis, culturas e diversos níveis de linguagem, somos responsáveis por traduzir isso por meio de uma escrita sem viés, feita com o objetivo de universalizar o pensamento, e não o de recortar (definhar) a pesquisa conforme a nossa visão restrita de mundo. É por isso que é tão importante se apropriar desse recurso, aplicando a voz passiva.

The use of passive voice allows you to give a sense of impartiality to what you want to convey, removing any previous or biased concept.

La escritura científica requiere; claridad, objetividad y formalidad en el texto. El enfoque en los resultados permite centrar la atención en el objeto de estudios en lugar del investigador.

La claridad de expresión que requiere la voz pasiva nos lleva a tener presente el "enfoque en los resultados". Al enfocarse en los resultados y no en quienes lo han trabajado, el discurso adquiere la neutralidad necesaria para evitar un sesgo basado en quiénes realizan una acción. "A través del trabajo en aguas oceánicas ha sido demostrado que..." No enfatiza en personas u organismos como al decir "El Dr X demostró que..."

By using Passive voice, what you achieve instantly is clarity because you have the option to omit characters and references you do not require. Helps the reader focus only on what and how, and not on the who aspect

One may wonder how using passive voice delivers the same story but in a professional tone. It is simply because how it is no longer personal. It does not talk about a person as the first subject of consideration. It is the action and what concerns that action. Besides, it fosters a sense of seriousness and straightforwardness. All these factors contribute to the professional delivery.

Writing in the passive voice can be beneficial in scientific writing for several reasons. 3 reasons to use passive formats. 1. Content sounds objective Passive voice removes personal bias by focusing on the action or the result rather than the researcher. "The experiment was conducted" instead of "We conducted the experiment." 2. Consistency and Formality Passive constructs can contribute to a consistent and formal tone, which is preferred in scientific literature. Example -"The samples were analyzed" maintains a formal tone that is consistent throughout the document. 3. Impersonal Tone: makes it easy to share feedback and stay focused on the outcome/ actions as opposed to focusing on the person who performed the task.

Scientific writing can benefit from passive voice by promoting objectivity (focusing on the research itself) and emphasizing results. It also improves clarity when the performer of the action is unimportant. However, overuse can make writing dense. The best approach is to strategically use both active and passive voice, prioritizing clarity and emphasizing what's most important in each sentence.