Personal Pronouns: "I" Belong in my Essay 

 

Personal pronouns are words like “I,” “me,” or “mine.”

You may have been told never to use “I” in your essay. Writing from our personal position, including our experiences and viewpoints, is often devalued in academic writing. But the truth is, professional writers use “I” all the time. Writing from our own position and perspective is a powerful way to share information and support arguments and ideas.  

“I am a writer. And by that definition, I am someone who has always loved language. I am fascinated by language in daily life. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language—the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Language is the tool of my trade.” —Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue”

“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” —James Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son.

“Pajamas? Poor people don’t wear pajamas. We fall asleep in our underwear or blue jeans. To this day, I find the very notion of pajamas an unnecessary elite indulgence, like caviar or electric ice cube makers.” —J. D. Vance, Hillbilly Elegy.

When a writer is speaking about themselves—their own experiences, beliefs, or ideas—as in the sentences above, the use of “I” adds power and clarity to the sentence.

However, the use of “I” can be distracting in sentences that aren’t about the writer. For example, consider the following sentence:

I think that excess dietary sugar can lead to negative health outcomes.

This sentence isn’t about the writer or the writer’s views; it’s about sugar! And the negative health outcomes aren’t something the writer thinks; they are a proven fact!   This sentence would probably be stronger without the phrase, “I think.”

Possible rewrites:

Excess dietary sugar can lead to negative health outcomes.

Numerous studies have shown that excess dietary sugar can lead to negative health outcomes.

Most doctors and nutritional scientists agree that excess dietary sugar can lead to negative health outcomes.

 

Three Easy Tests to See if You Should Use Personal Pronouns

TEST 1: AM I TALKING ABOUT MYSELF, SUCH AS MY OWN EXPERIENCES, HISTORY OR VIEWPOINT? 

 

IF YES: Use personal pronouns.

I was born in a small town in Louisiana and joined the military as soon as I was old enough.

While many students have anxiety about math, I grew up in a family that taught me to love math.

Many people view Hamlet as an indecisive character, but I believe he is simply cautious. 

 

IF NO:  Omit personal pronouns.

[I believe] eighteen-year-olds can legally join the American military.

[If you ask me, I would say that] marijuana has many legitimate medical uses.

[It seems to me that] implicit bias is a major issue in American schools, businesses and law enforcement. 

 

TEST 2: COULD THE PHRASE CONTAINING PERSONAL PRONOUNS BE EASILY REMOVED, AND IF SO, WOULD THE SENTENCE SOUND STRONGER AND MORE FOCUSED ON ITS MAIN POINT?

 

IF NO: Keep the personal pronouns.

My grandfather fought in the Vietnam War, and his experiences as a veteran illustrate the challenges many veterans face.

While many people in my family have strong political views, I have never felt connected to politics.

This article reminds me of my own experiences during high school, when I often struggled to memorize the information needed to pass my exams.

 

IF YES: Remove the personal pronouns.  

[My view is that] American Veterans should be provided with free, high-quality medical care for all of their needs.

[I noticed that] Hamlet is a highly indecisive character who changes his mind frequently throughout the play.

[I believe that] water molecules are comprised of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

 

 TEST 3: DOES THE PURPOSE OF YOUR WRITING ASSIGNMENT/PROJECT DISCOURAGE PERSONAL PRONOUNS IN ORDER TO CREATE A SENSE OF OBJECTIVITY--FOR EXAMPLE, A SCIENCE REPORT, NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, OR MEDICAL LOG?

 

IF NO:  Use personal pronouns:

I strongly related to the book Half of a Yellow Sun because my parents are from Nigeria.

This research was particularly meaningful to me because I have struggled with addiction in my past.

When my family left our home in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, my parents experienced many of the same symptoms of trauma described in Jones’s article.

IF YES: Remove the personal pronouns. 

[I observed that] the mayor seemed tense before the press conference began.

[My partners and I measured that] three grams of liquid remained in the beaker.

[I took the patient’s blood pressure and found that] the patient had slightly elevated systolic blood pressure but normal diastolic blood pressure.

 

Remember: "I" is not a dirty word! Like any element of writing, it can be used in ways that are strong or weak, illuminating or distracting.  So don't be scared to use "I" in your essay. Your essay is yours, and you belong there!