subject: Errors made in a Research Paper [print this page] The word data' is a plural wordThe word data' is a plural word. However, since the investigators are usually referring to sets of data, there is a tendency to use the word as if it's a singular. Hence, a writer might state, data was affected by the phase of the moon,' or data suggests that the phase of the moon does not affect the mood.' It would obviously seem awkward to you, as it just seemed to me, the proper phrases are, data were affected...' and data suggest' However, if you don't know as yet, the singular form of data is datum'.
