Many people don't pay attention to tenses when they write, "If I write in the present tense, all I have to do is keep writing in the same time-frame and I'll be alright." While that's true for most writing, there is some value to learning to combine both.
In academic writing, you'll likely need to do it a lot. Why? Because tense does more than show timeframe. Used right, it can:
Tell readers whose ideas are being put forward. Since you'll be interspersing your own ideas with those culled from your sources, tense can immediately help clue readers in as to the source of a particular statement. Ideas coming from you are best expressed in the present tense, while those from your research can be written in the past tense, since they were conclusions and ideas expressed at a previous time.
Show your attitude about the ideas you're talking about. When you don't like an idea you're reporting on, you can detail it in the present tense to show your lack of support (as a way of saying, "it's the way things are now"). To show an affinity for an idea, you can present it as a present perfect tense, even if some of them aren't due until a future time.
Show how general or specific a point is. Generalizations and widely accepted facts can be written in the present tense. Meanwhile, details of those ideas should be laid out in the past tense, to highlight the research and study that went into it.
Playing with tenses can be tricky, as it's easy to make mistakes when you're not the most technically-proficient writer. To help you out, we recommend investing in a good academic writing services.
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