2015-09-28
In college courses, students often are required to write papers that are based on personal opinions or life experiences. It is easy to simply use “I” phrases when writing papers. But should you? Most educators agree that is best if students refrain from using the “I” phrase when writing academic papers. It is well known that the perspective from which you write your work affects how your audience perceives your writing. In academic writing, using the third person lends an objective, confident tone to your work and gives you the opportunity to use outside authorities to defend your thesis. But how can you remove the “I” phrase? Simply by using other techniques of writing in its place. For instance, making authoritative statements allow the writer to use quotes, examples, and facts from sources that can improve the argument of the paper. This is especially important in persuasive essays: you want your statements to be strong, as if they are facts, as long as you can back them up. Try to write as someone observing the situation. This will help take the story or example from a first person narrative to a third person observation. Finally, use opinions sparingly. If needed one can describe an event or situation of personal experience, just try not to fill the paper with them. If one does then the paper becomes more subjective rather than objective. Always remember the point that is being presented in the paper. Focus on keeping the point defined by facts as will insure that your thesis will be well supported.