Back to General Discussion

ESSAYS

deletedabout 10 years

Do you write a non-analytical paper using "I think" or "I personally believe"?

Note: even with an analytical paper, please do not use first person pronouns. It is forbidden.

DO YOU?
26
NO
2
YES
deletedabout 10 years

Rutab says

Do you guys think this is a good paragraph? I am arguing in my paper that Hamlet is insane during his adventures throughout the play. I am basing it off of his attitudes during the first and fifth soliloquies:

"In the first soliloquy of the play, Hamlet is speaking of his despair. He is totally devastated by the loss of his father King Hamlet, and that his mother decided to remarry just two months after her late husband’s eternal sleep. Out of all of the issues around him, the thing that infuriates Hamlet the most, is his mother remarrying to his father’s brother, Claudius. In the soliloquy itself, Hamlet compares his father to Hyperion, the sun god. He states “So excellent a king, that was, to this,/Hyperion to a satyr” (1.2.142-3). The very idea that Hamlet is comparing his father to a god is outrageous. Surely a lot of people tend to idolize their role models too much, but this comparison was ridiculous. Hamlet should not think of his father as a god because it is not a healthy way to view someone. His father was no more than a noble, worthy king who was a good father to Hamlet, and Hamlet does not see that. He is under the impression that his father is better than anyone else in the world, but that is one of his greatest delusions that eventually leads to his downfall."


quoting for new page
deletedabout 10 years
Also sorry it's not on topic to the OP, but I saw this said "Essays" and decided it was good enough to post here
MeIody
about 10 years
I use both depending on the type of essay I am writing. I usually prefer not to, but some essays, I believe, require the first person to have a greater impact.
deletedabout 10 years
Do you guys think this is a good paragraph? I am arguing in my paper that Hamlet is insane during his adventures throughout the play. I am basing it off of his attitudes during the first and fifth soliloquies:

"In the first soliloquy of the play, Hamlet is speaking of his despair. He is totally devastated by the loss of his father King Hamlet, and that his mother decided to remarry just two months after her late husband’s eternal sleep. Out of all of the issues around him, the thing that infuriates Hamlet the most, is his mother remarrying to his father’s brother, Claudius. In the soliloquy itself, Hamlet compares his father to Hyperion, the sun god. He states “So excellent a king, that was, to this,/Hyperion to a satyr” (1.2.142-3). The very idea that Hamlet is comparing his father to a god is outrageous. Surely a lot of people tend to idolize their role models too much, but this comparison was ridiculous. Hamlet should not think of his father as a god because it is not a healthy way to view someone. His father was no more than a noble, worthy king who was a good father to Hamlet, and Hamlet does not see that. He is under the impression that his father is better than anyone else in the world, but that is one of his greatest delusions that eventually leads to his downfall."
deletedabout 10 years
lol look at these american plebs. leave the intellectual stuff to the british thanks
Satan
about 10 years


this is boring factual stuff
deletedabout 10 years
Yeah. At least they are fairly entertaining to write. With essays it's just all boring factual stuff.
CaeruleumDea
about 10 years
Novels and stories are the best, I agree
deletedabout 10 years
don't use i unless you're writing a speech, telling a personal anecdote/story, or quoting.
deletedabout 10 years
Eh, I gotta be in the mood to write them.

I've put off my novel for months now lol.
projectmatt
about 10 years
I actually find writing essays/papers super enjoyable tbh. Stories are the greatest, though.
deletedabout 10 years

CaeruleumDea says

I find essays the scum of literature.


I'm pretty OK at writing them, though they are a pain to conjure up. I agree.

Reading comp is probably worse. Tenfold.
deletedabout 10 years
i love writing papers and essays
CaeruleumDea
about 10 years
I find essays the scum of literature.
Satan
about 10 years
i'm also mostly used to writing analytical papers so, non-analytical papers are foreign to me
Satan
about 10 years

Kawaii says


Satan says

using I is fine, but not at the beginning of a paragraph, explain the facts and then say "therefore, i____"


you can use it whenever as long as there's evidence that isn't opinon (before or after) imo. it just looks slightly better if it's afterwards


yeah, but it's definitely more effective afterwards!
Kawaii
about 10 years

runwithfire says

Using "I" doesn't make you look unintelligent or weak unless your argument sucks in which case you would look unintelligent and weak anyway

deletedabout 10 years

Lux says

poll is rigged. lets only count the opinions of those who graduated high school

edit: ACTUAL high school

Kawaii
about 10 years

Satan says

using I is fine, but not at the beginning of a paragraph, explain the facts and then say "therefore, i____"


you can use it whenever (before or after) as long as there's evidence that isn't opinon imo. it just looks slightly better if it's afterwards
runwithfire
about 10 years
Using "I" doesn't make you look unintelligent or weak unless your argument sucks in which case you would look unintelligent and weak anyway
deletedabout 10 years
kids that are homeschooled can graduate normally just as other kids do
deletedabout 10 years

Lux says

poll is rigged. lets only count the opinions of those who graduated high school

edit: ACTUAL high school


wait a minute, that don't make no sense
Lux
about 10 years
poll is rigged. lets only count the opinions of those who graduated high school

edit: ACTUAL high school
deletedabout 10 years
Eh, if "I" is used correctly and it doesn't turn out like this:

"I think *opinion* because I think *opinion* and *opinion* because *opinion and one fact* and I think *opinion*. In conclusion, I think *opinion*."

If used in moderation and with supportive text it could be fine..though I tend to just avoid first person altogether whenever possible because it's hard to pull off without making it sound unintelligent or weak
Satan
about 10 years
using I is fine, but not at the beginning of a paragraph, explain the facts and then say "therefore, i____"