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
Edark
about 10 years

Rondar says

My teachers used to say it was fine in certain contexts, I wouldn't dare though.


Yeah exactly
deletedabout 10 years
"In conclusion, I think pollution is BAD."
deletedabout 10 years

Edark says

I saw that post apple and I just wanna say, you're incredible childish and somewhat of an [REDACTED]


oh gosh, a redacted? someone call the police.
Rondar
about 10 years
My teachers used to say it was fine in certain contexts. I wouldn't dare though.
deletedabout 10 years
My opinion is the only thing that matters. Essays should be nothing but "I" points.
Edark
about 10 years

Harrold says

Emil, have you ever written an analytical paper?


Have you ever understood a comment?
Rondar
about 10 years
If it's a paper I actually give a crap about then hell no.
projectmatt
about 10 years
I mean, a majority of the writing/literature classes I've taken through my high school career have been outside of home. In this instance, both my university professor who had been teaching English for like 30+ years and my other literature teacher both said that "I" was okay to use in the right context.

In fact, that literature teacher actually approached me after class once to congratulate me on how well my paper was written, a paper that used "I" quite frequently! Seeing the disagreement on this matter is pretty confusing to me, tbh.
Edark
about 10 years
I saw that post apple and I just wanna say, you're incredible childish and somewhat of an [REDACTED]
deletedabout 10 years
Emil, have you ever written an analytical paper?
deletedabout 10 years

Edark says

If the essay requires your opinion and if you try and cover both sides of an argument about the subject, then its OK


Nope.
Sims
about 10 years
why am I arguing about this
Edark
about 10 years
If the essay requires your opinion and if you try and cover both sides of an argument about the subject, then its OK
Sims
about 10 years
mostly all papers should be written in the second person
deletedabout 10 years

projectmatt says

Man, you guys are contradicting everything that I've been taught about using "I" in paper's so I am incredibly confused. You do not use "I" in a paper that is supposed to state objective facts such as a research paper. However, if you are stating an opinion about something, it is important to say "I" because otherwise you are stating your own opinion as objective fact. "I" isn't required in that instance, but it's definitely accepted to use.

At least, the college class I took on writing, I used "I" in the papers that called for them and I got a very good grade, and my teacher even specifically mentioned that it is appropriate to use "I" in subjective papers. I insist that you're all wrong!!!


Instead of saying 'I' when offering an opinion, it is more beneficial for you to approach the statement with something like, 'It could be considered that [x]' or 'The aforementioned research would suggest that [x]'.
xela
about 10 years
A highschooler is telling me how high school teachers told me to write papers.
deletedabout 10 years

Hina says

If you're starting an argument with the premise of " I personally believe/I think" then that argument isnt objective, which is the whole point of writing an analytic paper.


this but tbh it can still be acceptable depending on the tutor
Edark
about 10 years

projectmatt says

Man, you guys are contradicting everything that I've been taught about using "I" in paper's so I am incredibly confused. You do not use "I" in a paper that is supposed to state objective facts such as a research paper. However, if you are stating an opinion about something, it is important to say "I" because otherwise you are stating your own opinion as objective fact. "I" isn't required in that instance, but it's definitely accepted to use.

At least, the college class I took on writing, I used "I" in the papers that called for them and I got a very good grade, and my teacher even specifically mentioned that it is appropriate to use "I" in subjective papers. I insist that you're all wrong!!!


I agree with this somewhat
Sims
about 10 years

appleofmyeye says


RawMcGee says


Sims says

even in a persuasive essay you don't say "I think" because it makes your stance sound way weaker.


It makes your entire stance sound more neutral which is a good trait when it comes to convincing people; you're more likely to appeal to teh audience if you aren't trying to bash your opinion into their skull.


That's a good point, but i dont think using "I think" gives a very strong argument and it diminishes the importance of the paper


it isn't a good point, that's literally the opposite of what you want to do
deletedabout 10 years
Maybe it's you who's bad at reading.
deletedabout 10 years

RawMcGee says


Sims says

even in a persuasive essay you don't say "I think" because it makes your stance sound way weaker.


It makes your entire stance sound more neutral which is a good trait when it comes to convincing people; you're more likely to appeal to teh audience if you aren't trying to bash your opinion into their skull.


That's a good point, but i dont think using "I think" gives a very strong argument and it diminishes the importance of the paper
projectmatt
about 10 years
Man, you guys are contradicting everything that I've been taught about using "I" in paper's so I am incredibly confused. You do not use "I" in a paper that is supposed to state objective facts such as a research paper. However, if you are stating an opinion about something, it is important to say "I" because otherwise you are stating your own opinion as objective fact. "I" isn't required in that instance, but it's definitely accepted to use.

At least, the college class I took on writing, I used "I" in the papers that called for them and I got a very good grade, and my teacher even specifically mentioned that it is appropriate to use "I" in subjective papers. I insist that you're all wrong!!!
deletedabout 10 years

wakemeupxo says

No no no. Never use your opinion in an analytic paper. This is fact based- not a persuasive essay or personal. Since it's coming from your point of view it's dumb to keep saying "I" and nouns. Didn't you have to take a state standardized test on this?


You're wrong.

Opinion and first person based statements are often necessary during reflexive accounts in analytical papers.
deletedabout 10 years
PJ (matt) is currently rakin' in the $$$$$'s, his essay-writing ability untarnishable - potentially publishable
deletedabout 10 years

Sims says

matt must be a really bad writer


I don't think you can say that