Learning to write without using personal language can be difficult. Finding alternatives to clauses like "I think" or "I'm going to talk about" is especially complex, but don't worry if you're stuck. There are many ways to achieve the goal of not using personal pronouns. Also, you may be using slang and other informal expressions without even realizing it. Review the work and replace informal and subjective words with objective language. With a little practice, you will know the rules of formal academic writing like the back of your hand.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Follow the General Rules
Step 1. Use the third person point of view
Never use "I", "me" or some other word that refers to yourself in formal academic writing. You should also avoid using the second person's point of view, for example, referring to the reader as "you." Instead, write directly on the subject in the third person.
For example, replace "I think the most important part of the day is eating a good breakfast" with "A nutritious breakfast is an important part of a healthy diet."
Step 2. Use objective language instead of informal expressions
Informal expressions include slang, colloquialisms, cliches, and colloquial contractions. These are common in speech and in casual forms of writing, but are not appropriate for academic writing.
- Slang and colloquialisms are casual expressions shared by a region or a social group, such as "screw up," "kick the bucket," or "drown in a glass of water." Instead of "He screwed up when he dropped his tongue," write "He made a mistake speaking."
- Clichés are overused expressions that have become superfluous or boring, such as "Only time will tell" or "Time heals all wounds." Alternatives for these phrases can be "It remains to be seen" or "The pain will pass."
- Some examples of colloquial contractions are “pal” (for + el) and “pa’llá” (for + there). Instead of using them, write the whole words.
Step 3. Be as specific as possible
Personal language tends to be imprecise, but formal writing must be clear and exact. For example, "Exceeded expectations" has a higher intensity than "They did a good job." Instead of "Difficulty increased over time," write "Difficulty level increased gradually."
Also, avoid informal estimates such as "a little study," "a lot of time," or "a lot of research." Instead, use specific numbers, such as "The team spent 17 days collecting samples."
Step 4. Take the time to think of strong adjectives and verbs
Try to find strong and specific verbs instead of smoothing out your writing with adverbs. As for the adjectives, the descriptions should relate facts, not express your opinion. If you're stuck, check a thesaurus or do a quick internet search to find the word that best expresses your point of view.
- For example, "An expert witness discredited the defense argument" has a greater intensity than "The witness presented very convincing testimony that made the defendant appear absolutely guilty."
- Replace the verb "ser" como es, soy, eres, were, were, and will be with stronger verbs. For example, instead of saying, "The defense argument was inappropriate because it was based on speculation," say, "The defense argument failed because it was based on speculative evidence."
Method 2 of 3: Finding Alternatives to Personal Pronouns
Step 1. State the affirmation directly instead of using "I believe."
Sometimes all you have to do is write a clause like "I believe" or "I think" at the beginning of a sentence. Getting rid of the personal pronoun is a more objective measure and makes the statement appear more compelling.
- Compare the examples "I believe that the economic relationship of nations prevented war" and "The economic relationship of nations prevented war." The second example is objective and sounds authoritative.
- You may feel the need to soften a statement using a personal pronoun, especially if you are not sure about it. Investigate! The more you know about the subject, the easier it will be to make strong, well-founded statements.
- Even if the other version makes a strong argument, maintain an authoritative tone at all times. Although you must accept the other version, avoid using personal pronouns, as it can weaken your posture.
Step 2. Refer to supporting evidence, not to your thought process
If you are trying to strengthen a statement, you may be tempted to write something like "I am convinced," "I am sure," or "I completely disagree." However, referring to yourself will not make your point stronger. Instead, mention a credible source to make the claim more credible.
Think about the sentence "I strongly disagree with the defense's attempt to attribute the accident to a defect in the vehicle." A stronger phrase may be "According to the manufacturer's expert testimony, the defense's claims about the vehicle's defect have no basis in reality."
Step 3. Make the work without using personal pronouns
It may seem natural to write: "I will prove", "I will explain" or "I will argue". However, you should skip the personal pronouns when introducing the structure of the job. You may need to make minor changes if you can't remove personal references.
- In the case of the example “I will argue that market volatility caused the industry to collapse”, simply remove “I will argue that”.
- Adapt the phrase for the sentence. In the case of "I will examine the letters and journal entries to demonstrate how Charles Baudelaire's life in Paris influenced his view of modernity", you can start the sentence with "Examining letters and journal entries will demonstrate", removing the pronoun "I" that is implicit in the original example.
Step 4. Use the passive voice to emphasize an action without mentioning yourself
You can use the passive voice moderately to elaborate the argument or to describe a procedure. Instead of "I will try", you can write "It will be evident that". In scientific work, "The sample was tested" is better than "I tested the sample."
- In a passive voice, someone or something has performed an action, such as "This has been done by him." Due to this construction, the passive voice tends to be verbose. The active voice is clearer and emphasizes the doer, such as "He did this."
- Keep in mind that you should write in an active voice when possible. Write "Charles Baudelaire described modernity" instead of "Modernity was described by Charles Baudelaire."
Step 5. Use formal generalizations instead of "you."
If you make generalizations in conversation, it is normal to say something like "If you break the rules, you will get in trouble." To avoid personal language, replace the implied "you" with "one," "the reader," or "the viewer."
- Instead of "Painting overwhelms you with texture and color," write "Painting overwhelms the viewer with texture and color."
- You can also replace generalizations with a more precise wording. Replace the sentence “You may notice that the claim is false” with “The claim is false”, or rephrase it by writing “The evidence refutes the claim”.
- Includes formal generalizations moderately. Using "one can notice" or "one can think" too often will make the writing seem unnatural.
Method 3 of 3: Avoid Informal Expressions
Step 1. Use formal and factual vocabulary instead of emotional language
Strong formal writing presents specific and objective word choices and mentions evidence. Subjective expressions may be grammatically correct, but they express opinions without presenting facts.
- For example, "The efficiency audit determined that streamlining the application process will generate interest" refers to a reliable source and presents a fact. “The application process is lousy and confusing,” expresses one opinion.
- If you are trying to appeal to the emotions of the audience, it is acceptable to use more emotional language, although you should avoid using the first person.
Step 2. Replace jargon with specific words and phrases
It's easy to use jargon without realizing it, so check the work carefully to see if it includes informal language. Try to imagine that you are not a native speaker of your language. If you write in Spanish, look for words and phrases that would be strange if this was not your first language.
For example, the sentence "That boy was very unfriendly, so the boss put the dots on the i's" contains jargon. "The manager reprimanded the teller for his insubordinate behavior" is a more specific and objective alternative
Step 3. Check the writing to see if it contains everyday language
Common phrases and expressions can be even harder to avoid than jargon. While your writing should be fluent, it should not include the informal vocabulary of everyday speech. Do your best to avoid figures of speech and stick to a formal and precise vocabulary.
Some examples of common expressions are "easier said than done," "sooner or later," and "get somewhere in between." Alternatives for these expressions can be "more difficult in practice", "unavoidable" and "give way"
Step 4. Avoid using sentences that are too short, simple, and incomplete
Keep in mind that sentences should not be very long and that strategic use of short sentences can improve readability. However, if each sentence is concise, the writing will appear mechanical.
- Also, make sure you don't abbreviate your sentences and that they are always complete. For example, the sentence “The actor did an excellent performance; there is not a dry eye in the theater”is grammatically incorrect and inappropriate for academic writing.
- To write a resume, it is preferable to use concise and incomplete sentences. Instead of "I encouraged 10% reduction in purchasing costs," write, "I reduced purchasing costs by 10%."