First, I have provided the essay outline
We conclude that
You can avoid first-person pronouns by employing any of the following three methods.
Sentences including first-person pronouns | Improvement | Improved sentence |
---|---|---|
We conducted in-depth research. | Use the third person pronoun | The researchers conducted in-depth research. |
I argue that the experimental results justify the hypothesis. | Change the subject | This study argues that the experimental results justify the hypothesis. |
I performed statistical analysis of the dataset in SPSS. | Switch to passive voice | The dataset was statistically analysed in SPSS. |
There are advantages and disadvantages of each of these three strategies. For example, passive voice introduces dangling modifiers, which can make your text unclear and ambiguous. Therefore, it would be best to keep first-person pronouns in the text if you can use them.
In some forms of academic writing, such as a personal statement and reflective essay, it is completely acceptable to use first-person pronouns.
Avoid using the first person plural to refer to people in academic text, known as the “editorial we”. The use of the “editorial we” is quite common in newspapers when the author speaks on behalf of the people to express a shared experience or view.
Refrain from using broad generalizations in academic text. You have to be crystal clear and very specific about who you are making reference to. Use nouns in place of pronouns where possible.
If you are talking on behalf of a specific group you belong to, then the use of “we” is acceptable.
It is strictly prohibited to use the second-person pronoun “you” to address the audience in any form of academic writing. You can rephrase the sentence or introduce the impersonal pronoun “one” to avoid second-person pronouns in the text.
Third-person pronouns in the English language are usually gendered (She/Her, He/Him). Educational institutes worldwide are increasingly advocating for gender-neutral language, so you should avoid using third-person pronouns in academic text.
In the older academic text, you will see gender-based nouns (Fishermen, Traitor) and pronouns (him, her, he, she) being commonly used. However, this style of writing is outdated and warned against in the present times.
You may also see some authors using both masculine and feminine pronouns, such as “he” or “she”, in the same text, but this generally results in unclear and inappropriate sentences.
Considering using gender-neutral pronouns, such as “they”, ‘there”, “them” for unknown people and undetermined people. The use of “they” in academic writing is highly encouraged. Many style guides, including Harvard, MLA, and APA, now endorse gender natural pronouns in academic writing.
On the other hand, you can also choose to avoid using pronouns altogether by either revising the sentence structure or pluralizing the sentence’s subject.
Make sure it is clear who you are referring to with the singular “they” pronoun. You may want to rewrite the sentence or name the subject directly if the pronoun makes the sentence ambiguous.
For example, in the following example, you can see it is unclear who the plural pronoun “they” is referring to. To avoid confusion, the subject is named directly, and the context approves that “their paper” addresses the writer.
If you need to make reference to a specific person, it would be better to address them using self-identified pronouns. For example, in the following sentence, you can see that each person is referred to using a different possessive pronoun.
The students described their experience with different academic projects: Mike talked about his essay, James talked about their poster presentation, and Sara talked about her dissertation paper.
Avoid switching back and forth between first-person pronouns (I, We, Our) and third-person pronouns (The writers, the students) in a single piece. It is vitally important to maintain consistency throughout the text.
For example, The writers completed the work in due time, and our content quality is well above the standard expected. We completed the work in due time, and our content quality is well above the standard expected. The writers completed the work in due time, and the content quality is well above the standard expected.“
Make sure it is clear who you are referring to when using demonstrative pronouns. Consider placing a descriptive word or phrase after the demonstrative pronouns to give more clarity to the sentence.
For example, The political relationship between Israel and Arab states has continued to worsen over the last few decades, contrary to the expectations of enthusiasts in the regional political sphere. This shows that a lot more needs to be done to tackle this. The political relationship between Israel and Arab states has continued to worsen over the last few decades, contrary to the expectations of enthusiasts in the regional political sphere. This situation shows that a lot more needs to be done to tackle this issue.
What are the 8 types of pronouns.
The 8 types of pronouns are:
Apostrophes are one of the most commonly used types of punctuation in the English language. You must follow apostrophe rules to write flawlessly.
Conjunctions is the glue that the sentence together. This article explains coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions and correlative conjunctions with examples.
A hyphen ( – ) is a punctuation mark used as a joiner. It is used to join two parts of a single word. This article teaches the use of hyphen in writing with examples.
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Research writers frequently wonder whether the first person can be used in academic and scientific writing. In truth, for generations, we’ve been discouraged from using “I” and “we” in academic writing simply due to old habits. That’s right—there’s no reason why you can’t use these words! In fact, the academic community used first-person pronouns until the 1920s, when the third person and passive-voice constructions (that is, “boring” writing) were adopted–prominently expressed, for example, in Strunk and White’s classic writing manual “Elements of Style” first published in 1918, that advised writers to place themselves “in the background” and not draw attention to themselves.
In recent decades, however, changing attitudes about the first person in academic writing has led to a paradigm shift, and we have, however, we’ve shifted back to producing active and engaging prose that incorporates the first person.
However, “I” and “we” still have some generally accepted pronoun rules writers should follow. For example, the first person is more likely used in the abstract , Introduction section , Discussion section , and Conclusion section of an academic paper while the third person and passive constructions are found in the Methods section and Results section .
In this article, we discuss when you should avoid personal pronouns and when they may enhance your writing.
The following examples compare the impact of using and avoiding first-person pronouns.
To understand the effects of global warming on coastal regions, changes in sea levels, storm surge occurrences and precipitation amounts were examined .
[Note: When a long phrase acts as the subject of a passive-voice construction, the sentence becomes difficult to digest. Additionally, since the author(s) conducted the research, it would be clearer to specifically mention them when discussing the focus of a project.]
We examined changes in sea levels, storm surge occurrences, and precipitation amounts to understand how global warming impacts coastal regions.
[Note: When describing the focus of a research project, authors often replace “we” with phrases such as “this study” or “this paper.” “We,” however, is acceptable in this context, including for scientific disciplines. In fact, papers published the vast majority of scientific journals these days use “we” to establish an active voice. Be careful when using “this study” or “this paper” with verbs that clearly couldn’t have performed the action. For example, “we attempt to demonstrate” works, but “the study attempts to demonstrate” does not; the study is not a person.]
From the various data points we have received , we observed that higher frequencies of runoffs from heavy rainfall have occurred in coastal regions where temperatures have increased by at least 0.9°C.
[Note: Introducing personal pronouns when discussing results raises questions regarding the reproducibility of a study. However, mathematics fields generally tolerate phrases such as “in X example, we see…”]
Coastal regions with temperature increases averaging more than 0.9°C experienced higher frequencies of runoffs from heavy rainfall.
[Note: We removed the passive voice and maintained objectivity and assertiveness by specifically identifying the cause-and-effect elements as the actor and recipient of the main action verb. Additionally, in this version, the results appear independent of any person’s perspective.]
In contrast to the study by Jones et al. (2001), which suggests that milk consumption is safe for adults, the Miller study (2005) revealed the potential hazards of ingesting milk. The authors confirm this latter finding.
[Note: “Authors” in the last sentence above is unclear. Does the term refer to Jones et al., Miller, or the authors of the current paper?]
In contrast to the study by Jones et al. (2001), which suggests that milk consumption is safe for adults, the Miller study (2005) revealed the potential hazards of ingesting milk. We confirm this latter finding.
[Note: By using “we,” this sentence clarifies the actor and emphasizes the significance of the recent findings reported in this paper. Indeed, “I” and “we” are acceptable in most scientific fields to compare an author’s works with other researchers’ publications. The APA encourages using personal pronouns for this context. The social sciences broaden this scope to allow discussion of personal perspectives, irrespective of comparisons to other literature.]
For more general advice on how to use active and passive voice in research papers, on how to paraphrase , or for a list of useful phrases for academic writing , head over to the Wordvice Academic Resources pages . And for more professional proofreading services , visit our Academic Editing and P aper Editing Services pages.
Use first-person pronouns in APA Style to describe your work as well as your personal reactions.
Do not use the third person to refer to yourself. Writers are often tempted to do this as a way to sound more formal or scholarly; however, it can create ambiguity for readers about whether you or someone else performed an action.
Correct: I explored treatments for social anxiety.
Incorrect: The author explored treatments for social anxiety.
First-person pronouns are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 4.16 and the Concise Guide Section 2.16
Also avoid the editorial “we” to refer to people in general.
Incorrect: We often worry about what other people think of us.
Instead, specify the meaning of “we”—do you mean other people in general, other people of your age, other students, other psychologists, other nurses, or some other group? The previous sentence can be clarified as follows:
Correct: As young adults, we often worry about what other people think of us. I explored my own experience of social anxiety...
When you use the first person to describe your own actions, readers clearly understand when you are writing about your own work and reactions versus those of other researchers.
Editorial "we", singular "they".
APA recommends avoiding the use of the third person when referring to your self as the primary investigator or author. Use the personal pronoun I or we when referring to steps in an experiment. (see page 120, 4.16 in the APA 7th Edition Manual)
Correct: We assessed the vality of the experiment design with a literature review.
Incorrect: The authors assessed the vality of the experiment with a literature review.
Avoid the use of the editorial or universal we. The use of we can be confusing because it is not clear to the reader who you are referring to in your research. Substitute the word we with a noun, such as researchers, nurses, or students. Limit the use of the word we to refer to yourself and your coauthors. (See page 120 4.17 in the APA 7th edition manual)
Correct: Humans experience the world as a spectrum of sights, sounds, and smells.
Incorrect: We experience the world as a spectrum of sights, sounds, and smells .
The Singular "They" refers to a generic third-person singular pronoun. APA is promoting the use of the singular "they" as a way of being more inclusive and to avoid assumptions about gender. Many advocacy groups and publishers are now supporting it.
Observe the following guidelines when addressing issues surrounding third-person pronouns:
Writing in the first , second , or third person is referred to as the author’s point of view . When we write, our tendency is to personalize the text by writing in the first person . That is, we use pronouns such as “I” and “we”. This is acceptable when writing personal information, a journal, or a book. However, it is not common in academic writing.
Some writers find the use of first , second , or third person point of view a bit confusing while writing research papers. Since second person is avoided while writing in academic or scientific papers, the main confusion remains within first or third person.
In the following sections, we will discuss the usage and examples of the first , second , and third person point of view.
The first person point of view simply means that we use the pronouns that refer to ourselves in the text. These are as follows:
Using these, we present the information based on what “we” found. In science and mathematics, this point of view is rarely used. It is often considered to be somewhat self-serving and arrogant . It is important to remember that when writing your research results, the focus of the communication is the research and not the persons who conducted the research. When you want to persuade the reader, it is best to avoid personal pronouns in academic writing even when it is personal opinion from the authors of the study. In addition to sounding somewhat arrogant, the strength of your findings might be underestimated.
For example:
Based on my results, I concluded that A and B did not equal to C.
In this example, the entire meaning of the research could be misconstrued. The results discussed are not those of the author ; they are generated from the experiment. To refer to the results in this context is incorrect and should be avoided. To make it more appropriate, the above sentence can be revised as follows:
Based on the results of the assay, A and B did not equal to C.
The second person point of view uses pronouns that refer to the reader. These are as follows:
This point of view is usually used in the context of providing instructions or advice , such as in “how to” manuals or recipe books. The reason behind using the second person is to engage the reader.
You will want to buy a turkey that is large enough to feed your extended family. Before cooking it, you must wash it first thoroughly with cold water.
Although this is a good technique for giving instructions, it is not appropriate in academic or scientific writing.
The third person point of view uses both proper nouns, such as a person’s name, and pronouns that refer to individuals or groups (e.g., doctors, researchers) but not directly to the reader. The ones that refer to individuals are as follows:
The third person point of view that refers to groups include the following:
Everyone at the convention was interested in what Dr. Johnson presented. The instructors decided that the students should help pay for lab supplies. The researchers determined that there was not enough sample material to conduct the assay.
The third person point of view is generally used in scientific papers but, at times, the format can be difficult. We use indefinite pronouns to refer back to the subject but must avoid using masculine or feminine terminology. For example:
A researcher must ensure that he has enough material for his experiment. The nurse must ensure that she has a large enough blood sample for her assay.
Many authors attempt to resolve this issue by using “he or she” or “him or her,” but this gets cumbersome and too many of these can distract the reader. For example:
A researcher must ensure that he or she has enough material for his or her experiment. The nurse must ensure that he or she has a large enough blood sample for his or her assay.
These issues can easily be resolved by making the subjects plural as follows:
Researchers must ensure that they have enough material for their experiment. Nurses must ensure that they have large enough blood samples for their assay.
As mentioned earlier, the third person is generally used in scientific writing, but the rules are not quite as stringent anymore. It is now acceptable to use both the first and third person pronouns in some contexts, but this is still under controversy.
In a February 2011 blog on Eloquent Science , Professor David M. Schultz presented several opinions on whether the author viewpoints differed. However, there appeared to be no consensus. Some believed that the old rules should stand to avoid subjectivity, while others believed that if the facts were valid, it didn’t matter which point of view was used.
In general, it is acceptable in to use the first person point of view in abstracts, introductions, discussions, and conclusions, in some journals. Even then, avoid using “I” in these sections. Instead, use “we” to refer to the group of researchers that were part of the study. The third person point of view is used for writing methods and results sections. Consistency is the key and switching from one point of view to another within sections of a manuscript can be distracting and is discouraged. It is best to always check your author guidelines for that particular journal. Once that is done, make sure your manuscript is free from the above-mentioned or any other grammatical error.
You are the only researcher involved in your thesis project. You want to avoid using the first person point of view throughout, but there are no other researchers on the project so the pronoun “we” would not be appropriate. What do you do and why? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
I am writing the history of an engineering company for which I worked. How do I relate a significant incident that involved me?
Hi Roger, Thank you for your question. If you are narrating the history for the company that you worked at, you would have to refer to it from an employee’s perspective (third person). If you are writing the history as an account of your experiences with the company (including the significant incident), you could refer to yourself as ”I” or ”My.” (first person) You could go through other articles related to language and grammar on Enago Academy’s website https://enago.com/academy/ to help you with your document drafting. Did you get a chance to install our free Mobile App? https://www.enago.com/academy/mobile-app/ . Make sure you subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.enago.com/academy/subscribe-now/ .
Good day , i am writing a research paper and m y setting is a company . is it ethical to put the name of the company in the research paper . i the management has allowed me to conduct my research in thir company .
thanks docarlene diaz
Generally authors do not mention the names of the organization separately within the research paper. The name of the educational institution the researcher or the PhD student is working in needs to be mentioned along with the name in the list of authors. However, if the research has been carried out in a company, it might not be mandatory to mention the name after the name in the list of authors. You can check with the author guidelines of your target journal and if needed confirm with the editor of the journal. Also check with the mangement of the company whether they want the name of the company to be mentioned in the research paper.
Finishing up my dissertation the information is clear and concise.
How to write the right first person pronoun if there is a single researcher? Thanks
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Is it recommended to use "we" in research papers? If not, should I always use passive voice?
We is used in papers with multiple authors. Even in papers having only one author/researcher, we is used to draw the reader into the discussion at hand. Moreover, there are several ways to avoid using the passive voice in the absence of we . On the one hand, there are many instances where the passive voice cannot be avoided, while, on the other, we can also be overused to the point of irritation. Variety is indeed the spice of a well written scientific paper, but the bottom line is to convey the information as succinctly as possible.
APA (The American Psychology Association) has the following to say about the use of "we" (p. 69-70).
To avoid ambiguity, use a personal pronoun rather than the third person when describing steps taken in your experiment. Correct: "We reviewed the literature." Incorrect: "The authors reviewed the literature." [...] For clarity, restrict your use of "we" to refer only to yourself and your coauthors (use "I" if you are the sole author of the paper). Broader uses of "we" may leave your readers wondering to whom you are referring; instead, substitute an appropriate noun or clarity your usage: Correct: "Researchers usually classify birdsong on the basis of frequency and temporal structure of the elements. Incorrect: "We usually classify birdsong on the basis of frequency and temporal structure of the elements" Some alternatives to "we" to consider are "people", "humans", "researchers", "psychologists", "nurses", and so on. "We" is an appropriate and useful referent: Correct: "As behaviorists, we tend to dispute... Incorrect: "We tend to dispute..."
It's definitely OK to use "we" in research papers. I edit them professionally and see it used frequently.
However, many papers with multiple authors use such constructions as "the investigators," or "the researchers." In practice, there really aren't that many occasions when the authors of a scientific paper need to refer to themselves as agents. It happens, sure. But not that often.
Rather, the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion sections should speak for themselves. Any reference to the authors should be minimal as except in rare cases they are not germane to the findings.
4-minute read
Writing in the first person, or using I and we pronouns, has traditionally been frowned upon in academic writing . But despite this long-standing norm, writing in the first person isn’t actually prohibited. In fact, it’s becoming more acceptable – even in research papers.
If you’re wondering whether you can use I (or we ) in your research paper, you should check with your institution first and foremost. Many schools have rules regarding first-person use. If it’s up to you, though, we still recommend some guidelines. Check out our tips below!
Certain sections of your paper are more conducive to writing in the first person. Typically, the first person makes sense in the abstract, introduction, discussion, and conclusion sections. You should still limit your use of I and we , though, or your essay may start to sound like a personal narrative .
Using first-person pronouns is most useful and acceptable in the following circumstances.
When doing so removes the passive voice and adds flow
Sometimes, writers have to bend over backward just to avoid using the first person, often producing clunky sentences and a lot of passive voice constructions. The first person can remedy this. For example:
Both sentences are fine, but the second one flows better and is easier to read.
When discussing literature from other researchers and authors, you might be comparing it with your own findings or hypotheses . Using the first person can help clarify that you are engaging in such a comparison. For example:
In the first sentence, using “the author” to avoid the first person creates ambiguity. The second sentence prevents misinterpretation.
In some instances, you may need to provide background for why you’re researching your topic. This information may include your personal interest in or experience with the subject, both of which are easier to express using first-person pronouns. For example:
Expressing personal experiences and viewpoints isn’t always a good idea in research papers. When it’s appropriate to do so, though, just make sure you don’t overuse the first person.
It’s usually a good idea to stick to the third person in the methods and results sections of your research paper. Additionally, be careful not to use the first person when:
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● It makes your findings seem like personal observations rather than factual results.
● It removes objectivity and implies that the writing may be biased .
● It appears in phrases such as I think or I believe , which can weaken your writing.
Using the first person while maintaining a formal tone can be tricky, but keeping a few tips in mind can help you strike a balance. The important thing is to make sure the tone isn’t too conversational.
To achieve this, avoid referring to the readers, such as with the second-person you . Use we and us only when referring to yourself and the other authors/researchers involved in the paper, not the audience.
It’s becoming more acceptable in the academic world to use first-person pronouns such as we and I in research papers. But make sure you check with your instructor or institution first because they may have strict rules regarding this practice.
If you do decide to use the first person, make sure you do so effectively by following the tips we’ve laid out in this guide. And once you’ve written a draft, send us a copy! Our expert proofreaders and editors will be happy to check your grammar, spelling, word choice, references, tone, and more. Submit a 500-word sample today!
Is it ever acceptable to use I or we in a research paper?
In some instances, using first-person pronouns can help you to establish credibility, add clarity, and make the writing easier to read.
How can I avoid using I in my writing?
Writing in the passive voice can help you to avoid using the first person.
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Published on October 17, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 4, 2023.
First-person pronouns are words such as “I” and “us” that refer either to the person who said or wrote them (singular), or to a group including the speaker or writer (plural). Like second- and third-person pronouns , they are a type of personal pronoun .
They’re used without any issue in everyday speech and writing, but there’s an ongoing debate about whether they should be used in academic writing .
There are four types of first-person pronouns—subject, object, possessive, and reflexive—each of which has a singular and a plural form. They’re shown in the table below and explained in more detail in the following sections.
I | me | mine | myself | |
we | us | ours | ourselves |
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First-person subject pronouns (“i” and “we”), first-person object pronouns (“me” and “us”), first-person possessive pronouns (“mine” and “ours”), first-person reflexive pronouns (“myself” and “ourselves”), first-person pronouns in academic writing, other interesting language articles, frequently asked questions.
Used as the subject of a verb , the first-person subject pronoun takes the form I (singular) or we (plural). Note that unlike all other pronouns, “I” is invariably capitalized .
A subject is the person or thing that performs the action described by the verb. In most sentences, it appears at the start or after an introductory phrase, just before the verb it is the subject of.
To be honest, we haven’t made much progress.
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Used as the object of a verb or preposition , the first-person object pronoun takes the form me (singular) or us (plural). Objects can be direct or indirect, but the object pronoun should be used in both cases.
It makes no difference to me .
Will they tell us where to go?
First-person possessive pronouns are used to represent something that belongs to you. They are mine (singular) and ours (plural).
They are closely related to the first-person possessive determiners my (singular) and our (plural). The difference is that determiners must modify a noun (e.g., “ my book”), while pronouns stand on their own (e.g., “that one is mine ”).
It was a close game, but in the end, victory was ours .
A reflexive pronoun is used instead of an object pronoun when the object of the sentence is the same as the subject. The first-person reflexive pronouns are myself (singular) and ourselves (plural). They occur with reflexive verbs, which describe someone acting upon themselves (e.g., “I wash myself ”).
The same words can also be used as intensive pronouns , in which case they place greater emphasis on the person carrying out the action (e.g., “I’ll do it myself ”).
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While first-person pronouns are used without any problem in most contexts, there’s an ongoing debate about their use in academic writing . They have traditionally been avoided in many academic disciplines for two main reasons:
However, the first person is increasingly standard in many types of academic writing. Some style guides, such as APA , require the use of first-person pronouns (and determiners) when referring to your own actions and opinions. The tendency varies based on your field of study:
If you do need to avoid using first-person pronouns (and determiners ) in your writing, there are three main techniques for doing so.
First-person sentence | Technique | Revised sentence |
---|---|---|
We 12 participants. | Use the third person | The researchers interviewed 12 participants. |
I argue that the theory needs to be refined further. | Use a different subject | This paper argues that the theory needs to be refined further. |
I checked the dataset for and . | Use the | The dataset was checked for missing data and outliers. |
Each technique has different advantages and disadvantages. For example, the passive voice can sometimes result in dangling modifiers that make your text less clear. If you are allowed to use first-person pronouns, retaining them is the best choice.
If you’re allowed to use the first person, you still shouldn’t overuse it. First-person pronouns (and determiners ) are used for specific purposes in academic writing.
Use the first person … | Examples |
---|---|
To organize the text and guide the reader through your argument | argue that … outline the development of … conclude that … |
To report methods, procedures, and steps undertaken | analyzed … interviewed … |
To signal your position in a debate or contrast your claims with another source | findings suggest that … contend that … |
Avoid arbitrarily inserting your own thoughts and feelings in a way that seems overly subjective and adds nothing to your argument:
Whether you may or may not refer to yourself in the first person, it’s important to maintain a consistent point of view throughout your text. Don’t shift between the first person (“I,” “we”) and the third person (“the author,” “the researchers”) within your text.
Regardless of whether you’re allowed to use the first person in your writing, you should avoid the editorial “we.” This is the use of plural first-person pronouns (or determiners) such as “we” to make a generalization about people. This usage is regarded as overly vague and informal.
Broad generalizations should be avoided, and any generalizations you do need to make should be expressed in a different way, usually with third-person plural pronouns (or occasionally the impersonal pronoun “one”). You also shouldn’t use the second-person pronoun “you” for generalizations.
If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.
Nouns & pronouns
Yes, the personal pronoun we and the related pronouns us , ours , and ourselves are all first-person. These are the first-person plural pronouns (and our is the first-person plural possessive determiner ).
If you’ve been told not to refer to yourself in the first person in your academic writing , this means you should also avoid the first-person plural terms above . Switching from “I” to “we” is not a way of avoiding the first person, and it’s illogical if you’re writing alone.
If you need to avoid first-person pronouns , you can instead use the passive voice or refer to yourself in the third person as “the author” or “the researcher.”
Personal pronouns are words like “he,” “me,” and “yourselves” that refer to the person you’re addressing, to other people or things, or to yourself. Like other pronouns, they usually stand in for previously mentioned nouns (antecedents).
They are called “personal” not because they always refer to people (e.g., “it” doesn’t) but because they indicate grammatical person ( first , second , or third person). Personal pronouns also change their forms based on number, gender, and grammatical role in a sentence.
In grammar, person is how we distinguish between the speaker or writer (first person), the person being addressed (second person), and any other people, objects, ideas, etc. referred to (third person).
Person is expressed through the different personal pronouns , such as “I” ( first-person pronoun ), “you” ( second-person pronoun ), and “they” (third-person pronoun). It also affects how verbs are conjugated, due to subject-verb agreement (e.g., “I am” vs. “you are”).
In fiction, a first-person narrative is one written directly from the perspective of the protagonist . A third-person narrative describes the protagonist from the perspective of a separate narrator. A second-person narrative (very rare) addresses the reader as if they were the protagonist.
We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.
Caulfield, J. (2023, July 04). First-Person Pronouns | List, Examples & Explanation. Scribbr. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/first-person-pronouns/
Aarts, B. (2011). Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.
Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Garner, B. A. (2016). Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
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Which personal pronoun is appropriate in single-author papers - 'I' or 'we'? Could the use of 'I' be considered egotistical? Or will the use of 'we' be considered to be grammatically incorrect?
Very rarely is 'I' used in scholarly writing (at least in math and the sciences). A much more common choice is 'we', as in "the author and the reader". For example: "We examine the case when..."
One exception to this rule is if you're writing a memoir or some other sort of "personal piece" for which the identity of the author is particularly relevant.
Now let me quote Paul Halmos (Section 12 of "How to Write Mathematics"):
One aspect of expository style that frequently bothers beginning authors is the use of the editorial "we", as opposed to the singular "I", or the neutral "one". It is in matters like this that common sense is most important. For what it's worth, I present here my recommendation. Since the best expository style is the least obtrusive one, I tend nowadays to prefer the neutral approach. That does not mean using "one" often, or ever; sentences like "one has thus proved that..." are awful. It does mean the complete avoidance of the first person pronouns in either singular or plural. "Since p , it follows that q ." "This implies p ." "An application of p to q yields r ." Most (all ?) mathematical writing is (should be ?) factual; simple declarative statements are the best for communicating facts. A frequently effective time-saving device is the use of the imperative. "To find p , multiply q by r ." "Given p , put q equal to r ."... There is nothing wrong with the editorial "we", but if you like it, do not misuse it. Let "we" mean "the author and the reader" (or "the lecturer and the audience"). Thus, it is fine to say "Using Lemma 2 we can generalize Theorem 1", or "Lemma 3 gives us a technique for proving Theorem 4". It is not good to say "Our work on this result was done in 1969" (unless the voice is that of two authors, or more, speaking in unison), and "We thank our wife for her help with the typing" is always bad. The use of "I", and especially its overuse, sometimes has a repellent effect, as arrogance or ex-cathedra preaching, and, for that reason, I like to avoid it whenever possible. In short notes, obviously in personal historical remarks, and perhaps, in essays such as this, it has its place.
You can download the pdf of Halmos' complete essay .
Authorial "we" is quite common, even in single author papers (at least in math and related fields). The explanation I've heard is that it should be read as both the writer and the reader (as in "we now prove...", meaning that we two shall now prove it together). Some people find it awkward, and insist on "I", but this is unusual (and I've heard of referees demanding "we"). In cases where "we" is truly nonsensical (for instance, introducing a list of people being thanked), people who avoid "I" either find an alternate phrasing or refer to themselves in the third person ("The author would like to thank...").
In single-author papers, I think consistency trumps any particular rule or style. As the Haimos essay suggests, you can achieve whatever style you choose; you just need to make sure that it makes sense.
For instance, don't switch back and forth between "I" and "we," or between active and passive constructions too close to one another. Make the use of "I" and "we" clear to indicate active participation in the project (for instance, for assumptions or approximations made, you choose that—unless it's something everybody does).
When not faced with a journal/publisher specific style, my go to style guide is APA. I really like the APA style blog. In this post they explain:
If you’re writing a paper alone, use I as your pronoun. If you have coauthors, use we.
They go on to lash out against the editorial we
However, avoid using we to refer to broader sets of people—researchers, students, psychologists, Americans, people in general, or even all of humanity—without specifying who you mean (a practice called using the editorial “we”). This can introduce ambiguity into your writing.
There is also another related post about using we and avoiding ambiguity.
There are already two good answers for this entry, one is also accepted. But I'm going to give my two cent answer anyway...
This is what I learned from a workshop on writing scientific texts. Basically, my suggestion would be avoid using either "we" or "I" in the whole paper, except the "Experiment and results" section 1 . The idea is that by using passive form in the text, you avoid both issues related to being egotistical or ungrammatical.
Then in the "Experiment and results" you use "We" 2 . Why not using passive form in "Experiment" section? Well, you could but the idea here is that these results can be produced by everyone, including readers. So "we" is not referring to author(s), but to author(s) and readers. 1. This might not be the case in fields that papers do not have an experimental section. 2. Once could object that this will result in inconstancy in paper which is a valid objection.
The " royal we " suggests a hypothetical population of peers who hold some position. This hypothetical population may-or-may-not include the reader, at the reader's option. And since it's a hypothetical population with a subjective number of members, " we " is appropriate.
Even if you're talking about a real-world action that you did to perform a specific experimental step, it's still accurate to describe the hypothetical population as having performed that action.
This approach has a few advantages:
It's easier for readers to put themselves into your shoes as a member of the population engaging in the study.
It avoids distracting the reader with inconsistent pronouns for the authors across papers.
It's field-dependent. English teachers told me the following:
In STEM you use "we" for "the reader and the author(s)", regardless of how many authors you have. (Note that the "royal we" would be the wrong term, since the authors don't wish to sound as ostentatious in "we, the king of ...".)
In languages, you use "I" if you are the sole author.
Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged publications writing writing-style grammar ..
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Because English has no generic singular—or common-sex—pronoun, we have used HE, HIS, and HIM in such expressions as "the student needs HIS pencil." When we constantly personify "the judge," "the critic," "the executive," "the author," and so forth, as male by using the pronoun HE, we are subtly conditioning ourselves against the idea of a female judge, critic, executive, or author. There are several alternative approaches for ending the exclusion of women that results from the pervasive use of masculine pronouns.
Recast into the plural
Reword to eliminate gender problems.
Replace the masculine pronoun with ONE, YOU, or (sparingly) HE OR SHE, as appropriate.
Alternate male and female examples and expressions. (Be careful not to confuse the reader.)
Using the masculine pronouns to refer to an indefinite pronoun ( everybody, everyone, anybody, anyone ) also has the effect of excluding women. In all but strictly formal uses, plural pronouns have become acceptable substitutes for the masculine singular.
An alternative to this is merely changing the sentence. English is very flexible, so there is little reason to "write yourself into a corner":
Writing with artificial intelligence, using first person in an academic essay: when is it okay.
Related Concepts: Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community ; First-Person Point of View ; Rhetorical Analysis; Rhetorical Stance ; The First Person ; Voice
In order to determine whether or not you can speak or write from the first-person point of view, you need to engage in rhetorical analysis. You need to question whether your audience values and accepts the first person as a legitimate rhetorical stance. Source:Many times, high school students are told not to use first person (“I,” “we,” “my,” “us,” and so forth) in their essays. As a college student, you should realize that this is a rule that can and should be broken—at the right time, of course.
By now, you’ve probably written a personal essay, memoir, or narrative that used first person. After all, how could you write a personal essay about yourself, for instance, without using the dreaded “I” word?
However, academic essays differ from personal essays; they are typically researched and use a formal tone . Because of these differences, when students write an academic essay, they quickly shy away from first person because of what they have been told in high school or because they believe that first person feels too informal for an intellectual, researched text. While first person can definitely be overused in academic essays (which is likely why your teachers tell you not to use it), there are moments in a paper when it is not only appropriate, but also more effective and/or persuasive to use first person. The following are a few instances in which it is appropriate to use first person in an academic essay:
Now, the above list is certainly not exhaustive. The best thing to do is to use your good judgment, and you can always check with your instructor if you are unsure of his or her perspective on the issue. Ultimately, if you feel that using first person has a purpose or will have a strategic effect on your audience, then it is probably fine to use first-person pronouns. Just be sure not to overuse this language, at the risk of sounding narcissistic, self-centered, or unaware of others’ opinions on a topic.
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If you are reading this article, you probably have something to do with preparing a research paper. Luckily, here you may find answers to the most frequent questions by students. It is no wonder that students want to find more details about how to prepare a research paper because this task may determine his or her academic performance.
A research paper requires lots of time to make it of the high quality. Structure, outline, references, the investigation process and lots of other stages of this work need precision and painstaking attention. One of such components is the word choice. It may determine a lot in your content. If you make lots of mistakes in the word choice, the paper will sound either ungrammatical or subjective.
The objective of the research paper is to show the writer’s ability to analyze critically using the arguments to prove the thesis statement. If the author relies too much on personal opinion, the entire will be subjective. However, even when using relevant arguments and examples, one may make mistakes in the word choice spoiling the content.
In this article, we are going to focus on the usage of pronouns in the research papers because lots of students ask: “Can you use pronouns in research papers?” Today we will clarify all the subtleties related to this question. We guarantee that after reading this article, you may not have more questions like that.
Before we get to the stage of using the pronoun in the research paper, it is vital to clarify the meaning and linguistic value of this part of speech.
A pronoun is an independent part of speech that summarizes the subject, sign, number, but does not name them. Consequently, from all parts of the speech, the pronoun is distinguished by way of representation (indication). In the speech, this notion duplicates nouns, adjectives, numerals. Relating to the named classes of words, the pronoun has its own semantic features and syntactic functions.
The specifics of the semantics of pronouns is the mediation of their lexical meaning, that is, they are only filled with specific content in the field of speech. In the view of this, pronouns are used only in the appropriate context, due to the specific situation that allows them to determine the scope of their values. The attachment of pronouns to the situational objective of speech determines their main functional purpose: text-editing. It means that pronouns can replace names of objects, sentences, even whole sentences and act as means of deployment and establish content links in the text.
For example, This city is amazing. It looks like a real paradise.
In this way, pronouns contribute to the reduction of the elements of the text, the condensation of the utterance. It helps the language to sound more harmoniously and dispose of tautology.
When talking about pronouns in the research paper, it is significant to identify which class of them we mean.
Academic writers often ask whether personal pronouns can be used in any type of academic piece of writing. However, we want to say that the answer to the question “Can you use personal pronouns in research papers” is not definite. It means that you may say both “Yes” and “No.” Everything depends on the situation in most cases. And before you started to panic, we recommend going with us to the next tips. They will clarify everything. It is how you will learn when you may use the personal pronoun in the research paper so that it doesn’t sound subjective.
If you ask yourself about “ write my college research paper ” – our professional writers can do it.
It is no wonder that people don’t know whether it is right to use personal pronouns because until the 1920s writing it is possible to find those words in academic texts. After that time the academic community started to use both passive-voice constructions and the third person more often to make the writing sound more scientifically. However, during the recent years, the use of active voice and in some cases the first person narration stated to be become more incorporated in writing.
There are still several strict rules which limit the usage of the pronouns “I” and “We.” For instance, the first person pronouns can be used in the beginning: abstract, introductory part, discussions, and concluding sections of a research paper. The third person narration is more likely to appear in the main body with decided theoretical and practical parts, methodology description and the calculated results.
Try using less personal pronouns because it shows the reader that the paper is not analyzed properly but is based only on one’s thoughts. Pay attention to the way you begin the paper because if you state “I think” this deprives your sentences the unbiased message. If you want to preserve a serious tone, try to avoid using “I,” “We,” “You”.
Be attentive when you use the pronoun “We.” It shouldn’t refer to us as the writer and the readers because that text should preserve the objective tone. Sometimes readers may get confused because of such addressing them. Therefore, this pronoun should refer only to the certain group of authors, scientists that you were working together or share similar ideas. The readers shouldn’t be involved in the research paper because they didn’t take part in formulating the hypothesis and conducting the research at all. You never know their opinion and what they might think about the topic of discussion.
Although the purpose of the writing is to convince the reader of the thesis statement that you’ve used, the ideas presented should be the core of your argumentative persuasion. If you use the pronoun “We” you may clarify who is meant. For instance, “As academic researchers, we consider the following question to be irrelevant.” In this case, you show clearly who is meant in this pronoun.
The second person “You” is not acceptable in the academic writing because you can’t refer to the reader that directly.
Think about the tone and voice of your research paper. If you deviate from the standards, this may mean your lack of knowledge or ability to the writer as a researcher.
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First-person point of view.
Since 2007, Walden academic leadership has endorsed the APA manual guidance on appropriate use of the first-person singular pronoun "I," allowing the use of this pronoun in all Walden academic writing except doctoral capstone abstracts, which should not contain first person pronouns.
In addition to the pointers below, APA 7, Section 4.16 provides information on the appropriate use of first person in scholarly writing.
Inappropriate Uses: I feel that eating white bread causes cancer. The author feels that eating white bread causes cancer. I found several sources (Marks, 2011; Isaac, 2006; Stuart, in press) that showed a link between white bread consumption and cancer. Appropriate Use: I surveyed 2,900 adults who consumed white bread regularly. In this chapter, I present a literature review on research about how seasonal light changes affect depression.
Confusing Sentence: The researcher found that the authors had been accurate in their study of helium, which the researcher had hypothesized from the beginning of their project. Revision: I found that Johnson et al. (2011) had been accurate in their study of helium, which I had hypothesized since I began my project.
Passive voice: The surveys were distributed and the results were compiled after they were collected. Revision: I distributed the surveys, and then I collected and compiled the results.
Appropriate use of first person we and our : Two other nurses and I worked together to create a qualitative survey to measure patient satisfaction. Upon completion, we presented the results to our supervisor.
Make assumptions about your readers by putting them in a group to which they may not belong by using first person plural pronouns. Inappropriate use of first person "we" and "our":
In the first sentence above, the readers would not necessarily know who "we" are, and using a phrase such as "our society " can immediately exclude readers from outside your social group. In the second sentence, the author assumes that the reader is a nurse or medical professional, which may not be the case, and the sentence expresses the opinion of the author.
To write with more precision and clarity, hallmarks of scholarly writing, revise these sentences without the use of "we" and "our."
Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .
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Before a cheering crowd at a Christian school in Tampa, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation in March that prohibited students and teachers from being required to use pronouns that don't correspond to someone's biological sex.
"We're not doing the 'pronoun Olympics' in Florida," DeSantis said . "It's not happening here."
Pronoun use for transgender and nonbinary employees has become a hot-button topic, as nine states have passed legislation in 2023 regarding how pronouns are handled among students and employees in K-12 schools. Among those laws:
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has stated in guidance documents that "intentionally and repeatedly using the wrong name and pronouns to refer to a transgender employee could contribute to an unlawful hostile work environment" and is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
However, the federal government has yet to regulate pronoun use in the workplace.
In October 2023, the EEOC released proposed guidance that, if implemented, would require employers to allow transgender employees to use bathrooms that align with their gender identities and would consider the intentional and repeated misgendering of workers as sex-based discrimination.
For HR professionals, balancing state laws with federal guidance can be difficult. But legal experts believe organizations can successfully avoid state-initiated lawsuits while also fostering an inclusive workplace for transgender and nonbinary workers.
While the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga . held that LGBTQ+ employees are protected from discrimination under Title VII, the ruling didn't address whether misgendering or declining to use someone's preferred name in the workplace violates federal civil rights law.
"We knew this was coming," said Mark Kluger, founder of law firm Kluger Healey LLC in Fairfield, N.J. "Ever since Bostock , employment lawyers have anticipated the potential for years of litigation seeking to expand the court's pronouncement to the practical issues presented by transgender employees in the workplace."
Although the EEOC's proposed guidance relies in part on Bostock , the Supreme Court only ruled that it is illegal under Title VII to terminate an employee for being gay or transgender, Kluger noted.
"While [the Bostock ] decision expanded the meaning of 'on the basis of sex,' " he explained, "the court offered no guidance on how that determination impacts real-life issues such as whether an employer is obligated to allow a transgender employee the right to use the bathroom associated with the gender with which they identify."
In July 2022, the federal court in the Eastern District of Tennessee issued a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the U.S. Department of Education's (DOE's) Title IX guidance emanating from the Bostock decision that prohibits employment discrimination based on someone's sex.
The court argues that the DOE guidance is not regulatory law because it hasn't gone through the administrative rulemaking process, Kluger explained.
"That too will likely happen with the EEOC guidance," he said. "So, at least for a time, the new EEOC guidance will not curtail enforcement of state laws that conflict with it."
In states such as Florida or Texas, the EEOC might pursue cases on behalf of transgender school employees if no injunction is issued, Kluger said. While federal district courts may rule that the EEOC's interpretation of Bostock is overreaching, those in other states such as California and New York might reach opposite conclusions.
"Ultimately we will end up with conflicting rulings among the circuit courts of appeal, leaving the Supreme Court to have the final word," Kluger said. "All of this may take years [to conclude]."
Andrew M. Gordon, an attorney with law firm Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said employers can find themselves in a tough position when state and federal laws conflict with one another.
In some cases, state legislatures are clashing with the federal government over social issues that impact the workplace, including pronoun use. Gordon said those state legislatures may intentionally pass legislation that conflict with existing federal laws or guidance from federal agencies such as the EEOC. But employers should follow the law that provides the worker the most protection.
"Generally speaking, federal law trumps state law," Gordon explained. "If you have a state law that provides less protections than the federal law, from a technical standpoint, the federal law governs and should be followed."
However, according to the EEOC, state and local laws may offer broader protections for workers than federal laws do—particularly if employees work for a smaller employer or if they believe the unfair treatment is due to their age— if they are under 40 — or some other reason not covered by federal law.
"In those scenarios, the state law governs and should be followed, Gordon said.
[SHRM article: LGBTQ Inclusion: Using Pronouns at Work ]
As the share of people who know someone who is transgender has risen , so too has the number of lawsuits involving pronoun use in the workplace.
In 2022, a Christian physician assistant sued a Michigan hospital after she was allegedly fired after seeking a religious accommodation that would excuse her from using gender-affirming pronouns or referring patients for transgender surgical procedures and medications.
In another case , a Michigan federal court ruled in February 2023 that Interstate Blood Bank Inc., a Grifols SA subsidiary, must face claims that it unlawfully fired a worker who refused to use a transgender co-worker's preferred pronouns.
Kluger explained that employers should consult with employment lawyers and adapt their policies to the jurisdictions in which their employees work. For companies with locations in different states, that may mean distinct policies.
For example, if a company has employees in California and Texas and a federal district court in California rules that Bostock means that it is discriminatory to prohibit employees from using the bathroom associated with the gender with which they identify, the employer should have a policy consistent with that ruling—especially if the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirms it.
But if the employees in Texas complain that they are not comfortable with that policy and there is either no similar ruling from a federal district court in Texas or one holding that Bostock does not extend to bathroom use, rejecting the EEOC's position, the employer can choose to have a different policy in Texas, Kluger explained.
"Since there are currently only nine states with laws implicating bathroom and pronoun use, mostly involving public buildings, most private-sector employers will not yet face the conflict between the new EEOC guidance and state law," he said.
Ange Alvarez, HR and recruitment manager at Next PR in Colorado Springs, Colo., said companies in states with restrictions on pronouns will have to weigh the risk of liability and potential employee turnover if they are not willing to provide the federal protections.
"Employment policies should, at a minimum, provide the protections of the federal guidance," she said. "It is HR's role to provide protective workplace policies, legal ethics and uphold the framework that policies must be compliant with federal regulations."
HR must always include human intelligence and oversight of AI in decision-making in hiring and firing, a legal expert said at SHRM24. She added that HR can ensure compliance by meeting the strictest AI standards, which will be in Colorado’s upcoming AI law.
The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.
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Pronouns are words that make reference to both specific and nonspecific things and people. They are used in place of nouns. First-person pronouns (I, We) are rarely used in academic writing. They are primarily used in a reflective piece, such as a reflective essay or personal statement. You should avoid using second-person pronouns such as ...
However, "I" and "we" still have some generally accepted pronoun rules writers should follow. For example, the first person is more likely used in the abstract, Introduction section, Discussion section, and Conclusion section of an academic paper while the third person and passive constructions are found in the Methods section and ...
Similarly, when writing your paper, use first-person pronouns when describing work you did by yourself or work you and your fellow authors did together when conducting your research. For example, use "we interviewed participants" rather than "the authors interviewed participants." When writing an APA Style paper by yourself, use the ...
First-Person Pronouns. Use first-person pronouns in APA Style to describe your work as well as your personal reactions. If you are writing a paper by yourself, use the pronoun "I" to refer to yourself. If you are writing a paper with coauthors, use the pronoun "we" to refer yourself and your coauthors together.
First vs Third Person Pronouns. APA recommends avoiding the use of the third person when referring to your self as the primary investigator or author. Use the personal pronoun I or we when referring to steps in an experiment. (see page 120, 4.16 in the APA 7th Edition Manual) Correct: We assessed the vality of the experiment design with a ...
Total: 1) Writing in the first, second, or third person is referred to as the author's point of view. When we write, our tendency is to personalize the text by writing in the first person. That is, we use pronouns such as "I" and "we". This is acceptable when writing personal information, a journal, or a book.
The reader pronoun "you," for example, seldom or never occurs in either section, and the pronoun "they" (freq. = 67) appears to be an anaphoric use of the pronoun (e.g., "devices, functions, and systems") that does not, therefore, qualify as indicating a personal purpose.
In Eloquent Science, Dr. Shultz concludes that "first-person pronouns in scientific writing are acceptable if used in a limited fashion and to enhance clarity.". In other words, don't pepper your paper with I's and We's. But you don't have to rigidly avoid the first person either. For example, use it when stating a nonstandard ...
Authors must remember that their research and results should the focus, not themselves. First Person Plural Pronoun: Though sometimes 'I' can be used in the abstract, introduction, discussion, and conclusion sections, it should be avoided. It is advisable to use 'we' instead. Second Person Pronoun: The use of pronouns such as 'you ...
We is used in papers with multiple authors. Even in papers having only one author/researcher, we is used to draw the reader into the discussion at hand. Moreover, there are several ways to avoid using the passive voice in the absence of we.On the one hand, there are many instances where the passive voice cannot be avoided, while, on the other, we can also be overused to the point of irritation.
Writing in the first person, or using I and we pronouns, has traditionally been frowned upon in academic writing. But despite this long-standing norm, writing in the first person isn't actually prohibited. In fact, it's becoming more acceptable - even in research papers. If you're wondering whether you can use I (or we) in your research ...
The singular use of the pronoun "they" was once discouraged in academic writing, but it now should be used to be inclusive of all gender identities. You should use the singular "they" when the person you are talking about uses "they" as their pronoun, as well as when a person's gender is either unknown or irrelevant. In these ...
First-person object pronouns ("me" and "us") Used as the object of a verb or preposition, the first-person object pronoun takes the form me (singular) or us (plural). Objects can be direct or indirect, but the object pronoun should be used in both cases. A direct object is the person or thing that is acted upon (e.g., "she threatened ...
131. Very rarely is 'I' used in scholarly writing (at least in math and the sciences). A much more common choice is 'we', as in "the author and the reader". For example: "We examine the case when..." One exception to this rule is if you're writing a memoir or some other sort of "personal piece" for which the identity of the author is ...
Replace the masculine pronoun with ONE, YOU, or (sparingly) HE OR SHE, as appropriate. Original: If the student was satisfied with his performance on the pretest, he took the post-test. Alternative: A student who was satisfied with her or his performance on the pretest took the post-test. Alternate male and female examples and expressions.
Source:Many times, high school students are told not to use first person ("I," "we," "my," "us," and so forth) in their essays. As a college student, you should realize that this is a rule that can and should be broken—at the right time, of course. By now, you've probably written a personal essay, memoir, or narrative that ...
Using First-Person Pronouns. In most academic writing, first-person pronouns should be avoided. For instance, when writing a research project, words such as "I," "we," "my," or "our" should probably not be used. The same principle applies to lab reports, research papers, literature reviews, and rhetorical analyses, among many ...
Thus, using a first person pronoun (I/we) to indicate that the author (s) of the paper interpreted the findings (as shown below) is more appropriate and can prevent anthropomorphism. Correct: I/We interpreted the findings of past research. 3. To only refer to the author (s) of a paper and not in the capacity of the editorial we.
It is you thesis so use an active voice and the pronoun "I". Only monarchs can use the royal "we"! ... and conclusions in writing a research paper? Question. 157 answers. Asked 27th Aug, 2017;
Can research papers have personal pronouns. There are still several strict rules which limit the usage of the pronouns "I" and "We.". For instance, the first person pronouns can be used in the beginning: abstract, introductory part, discussions, and concluding sections of a research paper. The third person narration is more likely to ...
Use the first person singular pronoun appropriately, for example, to describe research steps or to state what you will do in a chapter or section. Do not use first person "I" to state your opinions or feelings; cite credible sources to support your scholarly argument. Take a look at the following examples: Inappropriate Uses:
Notice how the authors state their opinions and reactions: They use plain, straightforward language. If you are tasked with writing a personal response paper, you can do the same. The authors have also used the pronoun we because there are two of them; if a single author had written this passage, she or he would have used the pronoun I. Conclusion
Pronoun use for transgender and nonbinary employees has become a hot-button topic, as nine states have passed legislation in 2023 regarding how pronouns are handled among students and employees in ...
Collaboration and Research • Recommendations from Research. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Report: ... Fertility Question Instructions and Pronoun Changes • Skip instruction for fertility ... You indicated that (you use/(Name) uses) a different term. Could you tell us more about how you came up with that
Enterprises are using Pimcore, an open-source enterprise PHP solution, to streamline data management and experience management across devices. Our new research paper "Auditing Pimcore Enterprise Platform" examines the most common issues with Pimcore and details methods that can be used to find new vulnerabilities in the software.
Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications. Feature papers are submitted upon ...
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