personal opinion in academic writing essay

In some cases, there are very few rules associated with personal writing. The key to writing an interesting argument essay is to choose a topic that is relevant, interests you and about which you would like to learn more. While it is possible to say that, as a general rule, implicit expressions that reflect your opinion in a more subtle way are mostly preferred in academic writing, there are also cases in which it might be useful to overtly state your view by using phrases that contain the personal pronouns “I” and “my” to make clear that it is your point of view that you are focusing on right now. Formal writing is used in newspapers, magazines and published journals. Some of the differences between academic and personal writing, also known as formal or informal writing, include the varying rules about the use of contractions. By picking a topic of interest, outlining your argument and researching for supporting evidence, you can write strong and effective argument essays. © 2020 Universität Hamburg. Each of the body paragraphs should provide reasons that serve to prove the essay's main argument. Another useful way of explicitly stating your opinion is to employ structures that contain adjectives, such as “I consider it important/ crucial/ essential/ useful/ likely/ … to …” or “I deem it necessary/ proper/ appropriate/ … to …”. To make sure, always ask your instructor. A large portion of university and high school education is based on writing academic essays. Formal writing includes documents such as essays, thesis papers and business correspondences. However, in personal writing, contractions are acceptable and are often used. But beware: Don’t confuse giving your personal opinion with writing about your personal experience! After you have completed the outline, you can check it to make sure that there is no redundancy, as well as whether all the topic sentences serve to support the main argument. To a lesser extent, we have expressions such as “To my mind,…”, From my point of view” and “As far as I am concerned”; These three phrases are also rather used in speech than in writing. Brainstorming involves gathering as many ideas as possible on the paper without filtering or judging the material. In an academic essay, these phrases will probably be too informal because they are too personal. Furthermore, we often find the phrases “In my opinion, …” and “In my view, …” in academic writing and professional reports. In academic writing, the use of contractions is forbidden. Strategies for brainstorming include lists, cluster maps and free writing. She holds an MA in literary cultures from New York University and a BA in ethnic studies from UC Berkeley. The outline gives structure to your essay before you write and operates as a map that you follow while writing. We all have opinions, and throughout our lives we might find ourselves spontaneously arguing those opinions to family and friends. Your instructor may assign you a topic, or she may allow you to select your own. They are the most effective at demonstrating students knowledge on a subject and showcasing ones ability to gather and present data. The format of the outline should include your thesis statement, the topic sentences of your body paragraphs and your conclusion. There are several different ways to do this: A distinction is made between expressions and phrases that emphasize your views explicitly and those that reflect your opinion implicitly. Depending on the number of pages your instructor assigns, you might have several body paragraphs -- but always a minimum of three. You can write, however, that "childhood obesity is rising because of poor food regulation and a lack of physical activity in schools." It is not uncommon to find short and direct sentences when reading personal writing. As you have just 40 minutes to write your opinion essay, it is best to state a clear opinion in the first paragraph and stick to it, rather than try to deliver a more complex or nuanced answer. When selecting the topic, remember to choose an issue that you have something to say about. Festival of Sacrifice: The Past and Present of the Islamic Holiday of Eid al-Adha. Is the Coronavirus Crisis Increasing America's Drug Overdoses? In certain writing tasks that you are required to do for university, for example essays, you will be asked to give your opinion on the topic at hand. Academic writing is often used for professional purposes, and the rules must be followed carefully. In this article, you can find out which expressions are best in which context and how to create variety. This opinion is expressed as a single sentence that makes an argument with which a reader can possibly disagree. Slang or colloquialisms are never used in academic writing, while it is very common to see it in personal writing. Their point-of-view is backed by relevant examples and explanations. In academic writings, the use of short sentences is minimal, and the use of complex sentences is usually heavy. Informal writing may also include a personal blog or social media chat conversation among friends. “I believe that + [your sentence]” Fact Check: What Power Does the President Really Have Over State Governors? Using the outline as a blueprint for the essay, develop each of the points into full paragraphs. Fortunately, Our writing company is here to explain how to write a quality academic essay as well as the different types to choose from. Thus, there is no such rule as “Never include “I” in essays.” The key is to use these kinds of expressions when they suit your purpose, so for instance when you clearly want to distance yourself from a certain view. Every library contains academic, or formal, writing. Once you know what you are arguing, you can begin the pre-writing process. Expressing Personal Opinions.” London: Macmillan, IW 15-16. She is a college professor of literature and composition. Also, each body paragraph should use plenty of evidence to effectively convince the reader of the validity of the argument. Personal pronouns unmistakably show when and where exactly you are building on or departing from your sources of information. There are moreover evaluative adverbs that stress your opinion, examples for this being “Interestingly, …”, “Arguably, …”, “Obviously, …”, “Evidently, …”, and “Surprisingly, …”. Differences Between Academic & Personal Writing in English. It is not uncommon to find short and direct sentences when reading personal writing. Before starting an opinion paper, it is important to study the definition, topics, requirements, and structure. Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (2007): “E. Including different types of phrases and varying expressions while sticking to the requirements of the writing task at hand will improve your overall writing style. As you can see, there are plenty of possibilities to express your personal opinion in your academic writing tasks and to create variety in doing so. Possible argument essay topics include: sex education being taught in public schools; gay marriage being legalized; animals being used in medical research; and the relationship between video games and violence. This portion of the writing process also includes research of the opinion and arguments of others, which can be used as evidence in your essay. However, in personal writing, contractions are acceptable and are often used. Use each body paragraph to add supporting points and restate your opinion in the final paragraph to provide a satisfying conclusion. For example, a thesis statement cannot be "the rate of childhood obesity is increasing," because this is a fact. Will 5G Impact Our Cell Phone Plans (or Our Health?! In academic writings, the use of short sentences is minimal, and the use of complex sentences is usually heavy. Personal, or informal, writing includes personal emails, text messages and personal journals. Thus, they underline the originality of your ideas and views, which, in turn, improves your writing style. In your academic texts, you can furthermore employ structures that consist of “It is worth + present participle of a verb + that”, frequently used collocations being “It is worth examining/ investigating/ remembering/ recalling/ noting/ stressing/ pointing out/ emphasizing/ … that …”. Social Media and text messaging add to the growing popularity of informal writing styles. “In my opinion, + [your sentence]” In my opinion, a good education is more important than a good car. Soheila Battaglia is a published and award-winning author and filmmaker. Examples of evidence include quotations, specific references to real-world events and personal stories. Moreover, avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, so  it can sometimes be more effective to use the first person. ), The Secret Science of Solving Crossword Puzzles, Racist Phrases to Remove From Your Mental Lexicon. In academic writing, the use of contractions is forbidden. Your experiences and anecdotes do not have any place in academic term papers whatsoever, whereas they might be included in some contexts for example when you are asked to write a more personal and less academic text in your language classes. Impersonal expressions, on the other hand, reflect your opinion implicitly. Fundamentally, the differences between academic and personal writing are rooted in your audience. Again, there is the possibility to use structures that contain evaluative adjectives, as is the case with phrases like “It is convenient/ difficult/ hard/ impossible/ reasonable/ easy/ … to …” or “It is apparent/ arguable/ doubtful/ obvious/ remarkable/ desirable/ noteworthy/ conceivable/ … that …”. Referring to examples is also highly useful. By picking a topic of interest, outlining your argument and researching for supporting evidence, you can write strong and effective argument essays. With each piece of evidence you include, you should incorporate analysis that shows how the evidence proves and supports the point being made. However, in the case of academic personal opinion essays, students must first properly plan and organize their thoughts before stating their opinions. By proposing a cause in your thesis statement, you have set up an argument that requires support and evidence to be proven. Your approach and research is significant and appreciative.Applause for you.. What Are Some Differences Between Academic and Personal Writing. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, How to Write a Thesis Based Critical Essay, James Woodson/Digital Vision/Getty Images, Purdue University Writing Lab: Argumentative Essays, DePaul University: Writing An Argumentative Essay, California State University, Northridge: The Personal Perspective Essay - The Chance to Sound Off. Hence, expressions such as “I think that…” or “I believe that…”, which we often find in speech but less in academic writing, are weaker and less convincing than “I assert that…”, “I am convinced that…”, “I have no doubt that…” or “I hold the impression/ view that…”. While this only applies to some academic fields and text types, as far as the Humanities and essays or term papers are concerned, it is generally considered appropriate to use the first person, as your instructor will be interested in reading your original analyses and interpretations. After brainstorming, select the relevant material and organize it into an outline. Your email address will not be published. After you have selected the subject of your essay, you should narrow the topic to a distinct opinion. An opinion essay requires students to write their thoughts regarding a subject matter. However, in the case of academic personal opinion essays, students must first properly plan and organize their thoughts before stating their opinions. While it is possible to say that, as a general rule, implicit expressions that reflect your opinion in a more subtle way are mostly preferred in academic writing, there are also cases in which it might be useful to overtly state your view by using phrases that contain the personal pronouns “I” and “my” to make clear that it is your point of view that you are focusing on right now. Die Verantwortung für den Inhalt dieser Veröffentlichung liegt bei den Autorinnen und Autoren. Academic writing does not contain slang or colloquialisms, but personal writing does. This stage produces the content that you will use in the body of your essay. by Öykü Coskun | Thursday, November 22, 2018 | Learn, Writing effectively | 1 comment. If you are not quite so adamant about your opinion yourself, you can also utilize weaker expressions such as “I am under the impression that …”, “I suppose that …”, “I assume that …”, “I presume that …” or “I conjecture that …”. Alle Rechte vorbehalten, Explorations in English Language Learning, Academic Writing: How to Express Your Personal Opinion, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Writing Center: “Should I Use ‘I’?”. Academic writing makes use of complex sentences, while personal writing does not, and academic writing focuses more on word choice. The subject of your ideas and views, which, in the case of personal! Unter dem Förderkennzeichen 01PL17033 gefördert present of the validity of the points into full paragraphs which. Add to the growing popularity of informal writing may also include a personal blog or social media conversation. What are some differences between academic and personal journals is not uncommon to find short and direct sentences when personal... Very common to see it in personal writing their thoughts before stating their opinions expressions, on the paper filtering... 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