In high school I was always told when writing an academic essay to stay away from first person point of view, whereas in college you're taught the complete opposite. "The main reason most teachers give for the discipline of I-less-ness is that it keeps your writing “objective.” They want to make sure that you don’t rely on personal experiences or perspectives where you should be providing concrete, researched support for your arguments" (Maddalena 181).
The idea that your academic paper should always be five paragraphs was also instilled in me during high school, but in college you're taught that writing five paragraphs doesn't necessarily give you a successful academic paper.
Hello, Aquilla's life, thank you so much for reading my mind. The part I am referring to is when you stated that, basically, in college, writing 5 paragraphs doesn't necessarily mean you will have a successful academic paper. If I could high-five through the screen, I would. I can tell you that in college, writing is a whole different ball game. I was not expecting this much info and realizing what I am writing is all wrong, haha. So again, I appreciate this post.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Aquilla! The importance of avoiding the first person in high school stems from a traditional focus on cultivating objectivity and formal tone, as Maddalena explains. However, in college, the flexibility to use first-person pronouns acknowledges that personal perspective can improve arguments when used appropriately, particularly in disciplines where the writer’s positionality matters. The “five-paragraph essay” structure is another hallmark of high school writing instruction, designed to teach students foundational organization and argumentation. While effective for building basic skills, it often limits deeper exploration of complex ideas. College writing moves beyond this formulaic approach, favoring structures tailored to the content and purpose of the essay. This shift allows for more sophisticated arguments, detailed analysis, and an engagement with sources, key hallmarks of academic writing at higher levels.
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