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In the introduction of my thesis, I have the following statement: "It has been stated [...] from both __ theoretical and __ experimental standpoints.".

My advisor is saying that I should put indefinite articles ("a" and "an", respectively) in the blanks. However, I don't think any articles are necessary, and it even sounds better without them. A reasonable middle ground for me seems to put a "the" in the first blank only. Are any of these options correct? If so, which are better sounding?

Tuffy
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Renan Nobuyuki Hirayama
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2 Answers2

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After quite a bit of searching on the Corpus of Contemporary American English and google books, I would say that the version where neither coordinate has an article is the most common by a sizeable margin.

Having said that, in published literature we find almost all possible combinations (except those where the first coordinate doesn't have an article, but the second does), and usually I can't find any obvious reason why the author chose the combination they chose. The rarest is the mixed case, where one article is indefinite and the other definite, but I have been able to find an attested example even of that.

In the examples below, if no source is explicitly given, then the example comes from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), with the restriction that the source has to be academic.

No articles

Investigating factors that explain user willingness to adopt new IS beyond purely economic considerations is important from both theoretical and practical perspectives.

From both practical and theoretical viewpoints, therefore, the question of interest is how they manage to do so.

Thus, from both behavioral and cognitive standpoints, it is essential for students to develop fluency in order to read words with ease across text and to understand the meaning of the text that they are reading.

Two indefinite articles

This article provides several teaching strategies for approaching words from both a theoretical and a practical standpoint.

From both a practical and an ideological standpoint, laypeople were needed in the church.

I will address the dark side of evolution in two steps: first, by tackling directly the issue of natural selection from both a scientific and a theological perspective…

Just one indefinite article

In sum, it appears that from both a theoretical and practical perspective African American undergraduate PETE majors at HBCUs can be socialized to consider APE as a career choice with matriculation in APE courses…

Finally, we believe that from both a practical and moral perspective, otolaryngologists and otolaryngology nurses should build and exercise expertise in understanding and addressing the needs of older adults.

This paper examines government involvement in health care from both a theoretical and empirical standpoint.

Two definite articles

It is significant from both the theoretical and the applied point of view.
From Carlson, Allen. Aesthetics and the Environment: The Appreciation of Nature, Art and Architecture. United Kingdom: Routledge, 2002. (link)

These volumes have resulted from collaborative effort, in which a large number of physical techniques that have been found useful in biology are discussed briefly from both the theoretical and the practical viewpoint.
From Pollister, Arthur W.. Cells and Tissues: Physical Techniques in Biological Research. Netherlands: Elsevier Science, 2013. (link)

The content was written in a narrative style to allow subjects to be explored from both the theoretical and the applications perspectives.
From Michael R. Peres, ed. The Concise Focal Encyclopedia of Photography: From the First Photo on Paper to the Digital Revolution. Netherlands: Taylor & Francis, 2014. (link)

Just one definite article

The optical properties of noninteracting assemblages of small semiconductor clusters are exciting from both the scientific and technological points of view.

It is significant from both the theoretical and the applied point of view.
From Carlson, Allen. Aesthetics and the Environment: The Appreciation of Nature, Art and Architecture. United Kingdom: Routledge, 2002.. (link)

The knowledge gained in this general area of research, from both the theoretical and experimental viewpoints, in large part determines…
From Eisenberg, A. and M. King. Ion-Containing Polymers: Physical Properties and Structure, vol. 2. United Kingdom: Elsevier Science, 2012. (link)

First the definite, then the indefinite article

This edition was written in a narrative style to allow subjects to be explored from both the theoretical and an applications perspective.
From Peres, Michael R., ed. The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2012. (link)

linguisticturn
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  • A very well researched proof that this is a POB question. What to do? Not vote in any direction, and databank this as A POB question with an answer that is a very well researched proof that this is a POB question. – Edwin Ashworth Jan 20 '21 at 12:00
  • @EdwinAshworth But part of OP'squestion is whether only one of these is acceptable—whether any of the articles are necessary. That part is not opinion based. (Also not opinion based is which combination of articles is most common, but I admit that the OP didn't ask that—though they probably should have, and we can certainly suggest to them that they do so.) – linguisticturn Jan 20 '21 at 12:07
  • But all permutations seem available. It boils down to choice. // And then of course there's the lack of signs of exploring references regarded as easily available, to try to assess idiomaticity. – Edwin Ashworth Jan 20 '21 at 12:20
  • @EdwinAshworth I agree that OP did no research, and perhaps the question should be closed on that account. In OP's defense, though, I would say that the type of research that is necessary to answer this kind of question requires a certain degree of practice (with COCA and/or google books), and it may be a bit too much to require it from all askers. – linguisticturn Jan 20 '21 at 12:41
  • @EdwinAshworth Now, about the fact that all permutations seem available, that seems to go back to the POB issue (sorry if I am misunderstanding your point). Yes, indeed, nearly all permutations are acceptable. However, a priori, that was not a given. In fact, OP's advisor seemed to claim that only one of these permutations is acceptable. That is simply incorrect, and, surely, that much is not POB? – linguisticturn Jan 20 '21 at 12:42
  • We deal with plausible options, not with individual style constraints (whether from individuals or institutions). Here, the first question to address is surely whether there are 2 or 2+ standpoints (T1, T2 and E1, say). Using indefinite articles here (with correct agreement) clarifies that there are 2 standpoints only, surely a bonus. But then we're talking about generic noun phrases, covered on ELU many times (eg here); particular cases may merit separate threads, but here 'toe the party ... – Edwin Ashworth Jan 20 '21 at 14:15
  • line' and 'but recognise that your advisor is giving a local rather than a global ruling; the Uni across the city may give a different one' is the oft-repeated advice. Choice is opinion-based (when you are free of editorial influence). – Edwin Ashworth Jan 20 '21 at 14:15
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The indefinite article is inconsistent between singular and plural. It can only be used with a singular noun.

I can see a dog running towards me.

But

I can see dogs (or some dogs) running towards me

So the omission of the article is correct. Your case is more complicated because you have two adjectives (theoretical and experimental) qualifying the same noun (standpoint).

You have done exactly the right thing in putting that noun in the plural and not using indefinite article.

You could use an, but in that case you would use the singular standpoint. so

... from a theoretical and an experimental standpoint.

The noun is now singular because what you have is short for:

... from a theoretical standpoint and an experimental standpoint.

You could even use 'from' twice,though that makes the it more cumbersome.

Tuffy
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