Modern technology and social media has led to a proliferation of ‘me, me, me’. It has become quite normal to speak in the first person a lot of the time and we think nothing of overuse of the word ‘I’. However, in the world of academic writing, debate rages over whether use of the first person pronoun is ever acceptable.
When discussing your own ideas, research and the conclusions you have come to, it can be difficult to avoid writing in the first person. After all, the process of researching and writing a lengthy paper is one which is very personal to you. It is also often the case that in early education, we are told to think for ourselves and not to paraphrase the thoughts of others, leading to writing which is full of phrases such as ‘I think’, ‘it is my belief that’ and ‘in my opinion’.
Whilst use of the first person pronoun is acceptable occasionally, overuse can make your writing seem unprofessional and even ill-researched. It is important that you demonstrate a basis in fact, and this can be achieved by presenting evidence in the passive rather than the active voice.
Using the first person pronoun is also simply unnecessary a lot of the time. It is clear what you think without you having to explicitly state, ‘I think that…’. It is also much more persuasive to present something as unquestionable fact, rather than something which you personally believe. This calls into question why the reader should trust your opinion at all. Take, for example, the sentence:
‘I think that Dubonnet’s research does not go far enough, as he does not take into account…’
It much more professional, and also compelling and convincing, to write simply:
‘It is clear that Dubonnet’s research does not go far enough…’
Although overuse of the first person pronoun should be avoided, do not hesitate to use it when you think it helps to distinguish that your opinion differs from or builds upon the works of another scholar. One might write:
‘While Trevor-Roper argues X, I believe that Y is the more likely explanation because…’
As this is a question of style and purely subjective, consult with your tutor about use of the first person pronoun. It can add flair and make the reading experience more personal, but there are also those who think it is not appropriate in academic work. Use it sparingly for best effect.
If you would like some more guidance and advice about academic writing, or would like to have a 500 word sample of your own paper proofread for free, get in touch with the professionals at Proofread My Document today!
When discussing your own ideas, research and the conclusions you have come to, it can be difficult to avoid writing in the first person. After all, the process of researching and writing a lengthy paper is one which is very personal to you. It is also often the case that in early education, we are told to think for ourselves and not to paraphrase the thoughts of others, leading to writing which is full of phrases such as ‘I think’, ‘it is my belief that’ and ‘in my opinion’.
Whilst use of the first person pronoun is acceptable occasionally, overuse can make your writing seem unprofessional and even ill-researched. It is important that you demonstrate a basis in fact, and this can be achieved by presenting evidence in the passive rather than the active voice.
Using the first person pronoun is also simply unnecessary a lot of the time. It is clear what you think without you having to explicitly state, ‘I think that…’. It is also much more persuasive to present something as unquestionable fact, rather than something which you personally believe. This calls into question why the reader should trust your opinion at all. Take, for example, the sentence:
‘I think that Dubonnet’s research does not go far enough, as he does not take into account…’
It much more professional, and also compelling and convincing, to write simply:
‘It is clear that Dubonnet’s research does not go far enough…’
Although overuse of the first person pronoun should be avoided, do not hesitate to use it when you think it helps to distinguish that your opinion differs from or builds upon the works of another scholar. One might write:
‘While Trevor-Roper argues X, I believe that Y is the more likely explanation because…’
As this is a question of style and purely subjective, consult with your tutor about use of the first person pronoun. It can add flair and make the reading experience more personal, but there are also those who think it is not appropriate in academic work. Use it sparingly for best effect.
If you would like some more guidance and advice about academic writing, or would like to have a 500 word sample of your own paper proofread for free, get in touch with the professionals at Proofread My Document today!