[Anonymus Kline]

In one of my books in English, the phase " Data are used" keeps coming up, and it keeps bothering me... I always thought that the correct form is "Data is used".

I searched Google and found both the "are" and the "is" versions have been used in plenty of documents

http://www.google.ro/search?hl=ro&clie...utare&meta=

http://www.google.ro/search?hl=ro&clie...utare&meta=


So, what do you say? Which one is correct???

PS: The are version hurts my ears .

[Lady Kapa]

Anonymus Kline, la Jan 2 2008, 09:14 PM, a spus:

In one of my books in English, the phase " Data are used" keeps coming up, and it keeps bothering me... I always thought that the correct form is "Data is used".

I searched Google and found both the "are" and the "is" versions have been used in plenty of documents

http://www.google.ro/search?hl=ro&clie...utare&meta=

http://www.google.ro/search?hl=ro&clie...utare&meta=


So, what do you say? Which one is correct???

PS: The are version hurts my ears .

I think that "data is" is the correct form...

Citeaza

data
group noun [U]
information, especially facts or numbers, collected for examination and consideration and used to help decision-making, or information in an electronic form that can be stored and processed by a computer:
The data was/were collected by various researchers.
Now the data is being transferred from magnetic tape to hard disk.

I think it depends on the context..
The information from the quote box is taken from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

Aceasta postare a fost editata de ~IOANA~: 02 January 2008 - 09:38 PM

[dAImon]

Data is singularia tantum -- that is, doesn't have a plural. It follows logically that ARE can be used only when data is conjuncted with another noun, for instance "the discs and the data are now safe"

Aceasta postare a fost editata de daimon: 02 January 2008 - 09:36 PM

[Ares444]

Both forms are correct but different.

Data - collective noun, uncountable

Radar data is used to track the aircraft.

Data - noun, plural (sg. datum) countable

The following data are used in the flight data processing:

• radar data;
  
• flight plan data.

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Citeaza

Main Entry:
da·ta Listen to the pronunciation of data Listen to the pronunciation of data
Pronunciation:
\ˈdā-tə, ˈda- also ˈdä-\
Function:
noun plural but singular or plural in construction
Usage:
often attributive
Etymology:
Latin, plural of datum
Date:
1646

1 : factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation <the data is plentiful and easily available — H. A. Gleason, Jr.> <comprehensive data on economic growth have been published — N. H. Jacoby>

2 : information output by a sensing device or organ that includes both useful and irrelevant or redundant information and must be processed to be meaningful

3 : information in numerical form that can be digitally transmitted or processed

usage Data leads a life of its own quite independent of datum, of which it was originally the plural. It occurs in two constructions: as a plural noun (like earnings), taking a plural verb and plural modifiers (as these, many, a few) but not cardinal numbers, and serving as a referent for plural pronouns (as they, them); and as an abstract mass noun (like information), taking a singular verb and singular modifiers (as this, much, little), and being referred to by a singular pronoun (it). Both constructions are standard. The plural construction is more common in print, evidently because the house style of several publishers mandates it.

source: merriam webster

[Tina']

edit

Aceasta postare a fost editata de Khristine: 02 January 2008 - 10:31 PM

[deleted]

I've only ever used 'is'. Ive never even seen an example where 'are' is used with Data. I always like to be proved wrong though

[heidy]

Both forms are corect for this noun, because it's uncountable.

[fitzroy]

Hey Roo, wussup

Citeaza

da·ta /ˈdeɪtə, ˈdætə, ˈdɑtə/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[dey-tuh, dat-uh, dah-tuh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a pl. of datum.
2. (used with a plural verb) individual facts, statistics, or items of information: These data represent the results of our analyses. Data are entered by terminal for immediate processing by the computer.
3. (used with a singular verb) a body of facts; information: Additional data is available from the president of the firm.

It follows that it depends on what the word is intended to describe.

In science it's used mostly with a plural verb, since we refer, in general, to specific statistical data.

[Ares444]

Rogeroo, la Jan 3 2008, 02:36 PM, a spus:

I've only ever used 'is'. Ive never even seen an example where 'are' is used with Data. I always like to be proved wrong though

You're the native English speaker so you should know this better. However my colleagues, your countrymen, use this as aforesaid and examples can be easily found.
Now please find below an example where "data" is used with the verb "to be", in plural, past tense. And if this is wrong ...then...

Citeaza

data
group noun [U]

information, especially facts or numbers, collected for examination and consideration and used to help decision-making, or information in an electronic form that can be stored and processed by a computer:

• The data was/were collected by various researchers.
  
• Now the data is being transferred from magnetic tape to hard disk.

souce: Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
click here to read
Later edit: Link u/s
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp...0&dict=CALD

Aceasta postare a fost editata de Ares444: 03 January 2008 - 05:23 PM

[fitzroy]

Roo was only making a statement based on his personal experience. And that statement may well be correct. As explained in my previous post, it all depends on what one means by "data". If it's used in an explicit framework (as in quantitative research), plural is correct. However, it is commonly used with a singular verb in the media when it refers to an item of information (e.g. as in "the data shows" when referring to a research), so it's quite possible that Roo has encountered it almost exclusively with a singular verb.