Questions which address "you" (1 Viewer)

[Trebla]

I need to clarify this.
When a question (esp essay style ones) asks something like how has studying this text, 'shaped "your" understanding' of this module etc, do you use first person references in your response? (As in "this text has developed my understanding of the concept of....".)
Or would you be penalised for doing so for ruining the objectiveness of the response?

Right now, there's a little contradiction going on here.
I was taught not to use first person in essays unless it is a quote, because it ruins the objective nature of the response. But if a question like that appears, then not using first person would mean you have not addressed the key word "you" in the question and hence not completely answered the question. This is also in the interests of other students, please clarify....

 

[..:''ooo]

it didn't ask for an essay, it was free response, so it does not matter whether u use I

 

[nwatts]

You may use first person if you feel you absolutely need to. It's not against the law of essay writing (which I wrote), but it's not looked upon nicely either. It throws away the formal tone you establish and often makes things too personal or even at times flippant. I don't recommend it as, essentially, your reader is taking what you say less seriously. If you have extremely good control over your language you can get away with it in some cases.

The "your" in the essay question is asking for a personal response, so your essay should develop a strong personal tone. It should tell the marker what you the essayist thinks about the topic at hand. A-range essays will be developing strong personal tones anyway, but in a question like this you want to be especially careful that you're showing your marker your thoughts, not someone else’s. You can easily establish this personal tone without the use of first-person register. This will answer the question effectively.

Also you'll quickly learn that no essay is objective, nor is anything in this world.

 

[Riviet]

I would try and express my own opinion in third person, this is hard so this is what you should do. Write it as if it's your own response with "I" and "My" and just remove all the personal pronouns and the verb after it. It works nicely

 

[Trebla]

By the way, I have just recently seen some use of first person words in a high range student response. The question was:
"What aspects of your prescribed text had the greatest impact on you?
In your response you should reflect on both ideas and techniques used in the prescribed text you have studied"
There was a high range response that used the word 'I' rather frequently (about 2-4 times per paragraph). This student goes on about how he/she admires the central character's courage and his/her thoughts on issues in society raised by the text.
e.g. "I am deeply touched by the courage of women in saving each other........Particularly, I am ashamed by our government's way of hiding secrets and not........"
The comment on it described how much the text impacted generally and personally, and how it is a well developed analysis and reflection.
So I guess in a personal essay response, it would be alright to use first person words once in a while for the sake of sustaining a personal tone, as long as it is not used very frequently, but it's best to minimise using first person words.....correct?

 

[kimmeh]

Do not use first person, but third.
You are adressing the ".... your understanding.." by writing and presenting an argument already.

 

[Riviet]

Do not use first person, but third.
You are adressing the ".... your understanding.." by writing and presenting an argument already.

Precisely what i meant. :uhhuh: