Brandeis University

Using “I”: The First Person in Academic Writing

This handout is available for download in DOCX format and PDF format. Students often arrive at college with strict writing rules in mind. Unfortunately, overly strict rules about writing can prevent ...
Forbes

Check Your Writing: Are You Using Person-First Language?

Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. I’ve been a communications practitioner for over a decade, but it wasn’t until I began ...
The Conversation

We should use ‘I’ more in academic writing – there is benefit to first-person perspective

Peter Ellerton is affiliated with the Centre for Critical and Creative Thinking. He is a Fellow of the Rationalist Society of Australia. The use of the word “I” in academic writing, that is writing in ...

Identity first, or person first? Guidelines this series follows when writing about autism and mental health

The same goes for writing about a disability, which is a mental or physical condition that significantly affects the ability to carry out at least one life activity. An illness or disability is ...
Brandeis University

The First Person in Academic Writing

Many students are taught never to use the first person (i.e., I or we) in academic writing. While the use of the first person has historically been rare, the practice has changed in recent years. The ...