17 October 2012

subsequent vs following

Correct use:

Use "subsequent" when something happened next in the past, or will in the far future,

For example:

In a laboratory procedure:
The purification process starts with centrifugation. The subsequent filtration step removes the particles that were not removed by filtration.

In a scientific paper or report:
The molecule of interest was precipitated with ammonium sulphate. The subsequent centrifugation and re-suspension gave a final yield of 85%.

Use "following" for something that is about to happen, either in a text or in real life

For example:

In a text:
The following chapters will discuss the pros and cons of X.

In a presentation:
the following slides will give you an overview of X.


Origin of the confusion:

following and subsequent both translate as "folgend" in German, but do not have the same meaning.

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