Is "Do your data bear this out?" correct?

Question

While reading SICP, if found the following expression:

Since the Fermat test has O(log n) growth, how would you expect the time to test primes near 1,000,000 to compare with the time needed to test primes near 1000? Do your data bear this out?

Is it correct? Shoudn't it be "Does your data bear this out?"

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 23 '13 at 23:16

0

Data is a plural noun as indicated here. As such it takes the plural verb form do rather than the singular form does.

However, common usage often treats it as singular. This ngram reflects a significant usage of the singular, although the plural still is favored.

answered Oct 23 '13 at 23:16

bib

72,782

2023 and the corresponding ngrams have almost met. For 'the data are' / 'the data is', they have crossed. Probably a minority still favour the formal agreement usage. – Edwin Ashworth Jan 07 '23 at 17:32

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 23 '13 at 23:19

While "data" is plural (the singular is datum), it can be used as either a count noun or a mass noun. Since this particular instance is referring to two types of data (the time to test primes near 1,000,000 and the time needed to test primes near 1000), my guess would be to use data as a count noun, in which case "do your data" would be correct.

Is "Do your data bear this out?" correct?

2 Answers2