Writing Essays in 3rd Person vs. 1st Person: When to Break the Rules

Strategic Uses of First Person in Academic Writing

Establishing Credibility Through Personal Experience

Writing essays in 3rd person vs. 1st person requires understanding when personal voice strengthens rather than weakens your argument. Strategic first-person usage can establish credibility (ethos) by demonstrating your qualifications to address a topic.

A writer can establish ethos by convincing the reader that she is a trustworthy source, and oftentimes, the best way to do that is to get personal. If you’re analyzing educational policy and you’ve worked as a teacher for fifteen years, mentioning this experience supports your authority on the subject.

Consider this weak third-person statement: “Research suggests that classroom management techniques affect student engagement.” Now compare it to this credible first-person version: “In my twelve years teaching middle school, I observed that consistent classroom management techniques dramatically improved student engagement across diverse learning environments.”

The second version doesn’t just present information—it establishes why readers should trust your interpretation. Your lived experience becomes evidence supporting your analytical claims about academic writing.

First person works particularly well when you need to distinguish your perspective from others in scholarly conversations. Writing “I argue that postmodern theory misinterprets Foucault’s original intent” clearly positions your contribution within existing debates.

Clarifying Methodology and Research Processes

Many research papers benefit from first person when describing methodology. Passive constructions like “data was collected” create ambiguity about who performed actions and when.

Active first-person statements provide clarity: “We administered surveys to 300 undergraduate students in March 2024.” This construction immediately answers who, what, and when—essential details in research methodology.

The first person is more likely used in the abstract, Introduction section, Discussion section, and Conclusion section of an academic paper while the third person and passive constructions are found in the Methods section and Results section. However, even methods sections increasingly accept “we” for describing procedures.

Using first person helps avoid awkward passive voice constructions. Compare these examples:

• Passive: “The experiment was conducted over six weeks.”
• Active first person: “We conducted the experiment over six weeks.”

The second version is clearer and more direct. It acknowledges researcher agency without compromising scientific objectivity.

Positioning Your Work Within Existing Literature

When you introduce your research paper or position it among existing scholarship, first person clarifies your unique contribution. This approach appears frequently in humanities and social sciences where interpretation drives scholarship.

Writing “This paper examines” makes your paper sound like an autonomous entity. Papers don’t examine anything—researchers do. Instead, write “I examine how climate narratives in contemporary fiction reflect anxieties about technological solutions.”

First person also helps when you need to explain why your research matters. Statements like “We believe this study addresses a critical gap in the literature” clearly communicate your research’s significance without hedging.

However, avoid unnecessary first-person constructions when stating widely accepted facts. Don’t write “I believe climate change poses serious risks”—this fact doesn’t require your personal endorsement. Just state “Climate change poses serious risks to coastal communities.”

Avoiding Awkward Passive Constructions

Overreliance on passive voice to avoid first person creates dense, difficult prose. Scientific and technical writing once favored passive voice extensively, but modern style guides recognize this approach’s limitations.

The passive voice can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness. Consider this convoluted passive sentence: “It was observed that when the temperature was increased, the reaction rate was affected.”

Now compare the first-person active version: “We observed that increasing temperature affected reaction rate.” This version is shorter, clearer, and more direct while maintaining appropriate formality for scientific writing.

The American Medical Writers Association, the Council of Science Editors, and numerous scientific journals now discourage excessive passive voice. They recognize that clarity matters more than outdated conventions about removing researchers from academic writing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using First Person

Overusing “I Think” and “I Believe”

The most frequent mistake students make in writing essays involves unnecessary phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” “I feel,” or “In my opinion.” These constructions weaken arguments rather than strengthening them.

It is typically unnecessary to write “I believe that” because the reader knows that the paper is written from your perspective. Any uncited material is automatically attributed to you. Adding “I believe” just wastes words and undermines confidence.

Compare these statements:

• Weak: “I think that Shakespeare uses imagery to convey power dynamics in Macbeth.”
• Strong: “Shakespeare uses imagery to convey power dynamics in Macbeth.”

The second statement is much stronger because it gets straight to the point by omitting “I think” and instead adds more depth of content. Removing the unnecessary qualifier makes your claim more authoritative.

Many writers inappropriately use the term “I feel,” which should be reserved for when you are stating an actual feeling about your physical state (e.g., “I feel sick” or “I feel hungry”). Don’t write “I feel that this policy is ineffective”—you’re making an analytical claim, not describing physical sensations.

The same principle applies to “In my opinion.” Unless you’re explicitly contrasting your viewpoint with others, this phrase just clutters your prose. Make the assertion directly and support it with evidence.

Excessive Self-Reference and Narcissism

Another common error involves focusing excessively on yourself rather than your subject matter. An extensive focus on personal material may read as narcissistic self-absorption or a lack of academic rigor rather than an honest statement of one’s investment in the subject.

Your essay writing should center on ideas, evidence, and analysis—not your thought processes. Consider this overly self-referential introduction:

“When I first started researching this topic, I was confused. Then I read several articles and I began to understand. I decided to focus my research on three main areas because I found them interesting.”

This paragraph wastes space describing your research journey instead of presenting actual findings. Readers don’t need a blow-by-blow account of how you developed your ideas.

A better approach mentions yourself strategically: “This analysis focuses on three intersections between economic policy and environmental sustainability.” No unnecessary “I” statements—just clear communication of your essay’s scope.

Save first-person references for moments when your unique perspective, credentials, or methodology genuinely matter to understanding your argument.

Mixing Perspectives Inconsistently

Consistency matters enormously in point of view. Don’t jump between first and third person randomly throughout your essay writing. This creates confusion and appears unprofessional.

Problematic example: “The researcher conducted interviews with participants. I then analyzed the transcripts for recurring themes. The findings suggest…”

This paragraph awkwardly shifts between “the researcher” and “I” when both refer to the same person—you. Pick one approach and maintain it consistently.

If you start with third person, continue with third person throughout. If you choose first person, stick with it in all relevant sections. The only exception might be in dissertations where conventions differ by chapter (e.g., third person in literature reviews, first person in methodology).

Using First Person When It’s Unnecessary

Strategic first-person usage means deploying “I” and “we” purposefully, not habitually. Don’t insert first person simply because you can.

Unnecessary example: “I will discuss three theories of motivation in this paper. First, I will explain Maslow’s hierarchy. Then I will analyze self-determination theory. Finally, I will examine achievement goal theory.”

This paragraph overuses first person for simple organizational statements. A clearer approach: “This paper examines three theories of motivation: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-determination theory, and achievement goal theory.”

Use first person when it serves a specific rhetorical purpose:

• Establishing your credentials or positionality
• Describing methodology or research procedures
• Claiming your unique argumentative stance
• Distinguishing your interpretation from others

Otherwise, default to straightforward presentation of ideas without unnecessary self-reference.

Discipline-Specific Guidelines for Point of View

Natural Sciences: Conservative but Evolving

Natural sciences including biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering traditionally maintained the strictest prohibitions against first person. Scientific disciplines (e.g., medicine, physics, and mechanical engineering) tend to avoid the first person wherever possible because these subject areas highly value objectivity.

However, conventions have shifted significantly. Scientists typically use first person when discussing the intellectual aspects rather than the material: “We hypothesized that the product would be…”—but not “We washed the pipettes.”

This distinction reflects when first person adds value. Describing your hypothesis or interpretation? First person works well. Describing routine procedures? Third person or passive voice remains standard.

Many contemporary scientific journals now explicitly encourage first person in specific sections:

• Abstracts: Increasingly common for stating purpose
• Introduction: Acceptable when positioning research within existing literature
• Methods: “We” often preferred over passive constructions
• Results: Generally objective, minimal first person
• Discussion: Strong use of first person when interpreting findings

An engineering professor once noted, “It’s not about you [the authors], it’s about the science.” This perspective still influences scientific writing, but absolute avoidance of first person has moderated considerably.

Check specific journal guidelines before submitting manuscripts. Nature, Science, and other major publications each maintain their own style guides regarding first-person usage.

Social Sciences: Increasing Acceptance

Social sciences—including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science—occupy middle ground between humanities and natural sciences. First person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Psychology research commonly uses “we” when describing studies. Researchers might write “We recruited 150 participants through university announcements” rather than passive “150 participants were recruited.”

In multi-authored papers, “we” refers to the authors, not to a communal “we.” Be clear about who this pronoun represents—don’t create ambiguity about whether you mean researchers, participants, or broader groups.

Anthropology and sociology involving qualitative research often embrace first person extensively. When anthropologists conduct ethnographic fieldwork, acknowledging their positionality as researchers adds necessary transparency.

An anthropologist might write: “As a white American researcher studying Indigenous communities, I recognized how my outsider status shaped participants’ willingness to share certain cultural practices.” This reflexivity strengthens rather than weakens the research by acknowledging potential bias.

Political science maintains more conservative conventions than other social sciences, particularly in quantitative research. However, political theorists analyzing texts or developing arguments use first person more freely.

Always consult recent publications in your specific subfield. Read five to ten recent articles in journals where you hope to publish. Notice when established scholars use first person and model your approach accordingly.

Humanities: Greatest Flexibility

The humanities—including philosophy, literary criticism, history, and religious studies—grant widest latitude for first-person usage. The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art, so writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency.

Philosophy students frequently write “I argue” when articulating original positions or challenging established philosophers. This direct approach clearly stakes claim to interpretive positions.

In literary studies, contemporary scholars often use first person when analyzing texts. Rather than writing “It could be argued that Toni Morrison employs fragmented narrative to represent trauma,” literary critics write “I argue that Morrison’s fragmented narrative represents the impossibility of linear trauma recovery.”

This assertive approach clarifies that you’re offering an interpretation, not stating universal fact. It positions your reading among competing interpretations without hedging.

History presents interesting complexity. When narrating historical events themselves, historians typically use third person: “Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812.” However, when discussing their methodology, historiography, or interpretive framework, first person appears frequently.

A historian might write: “I examine three primary sources previously overlooked in Civil War scholarship” in their introduction, then shift to third-person narration when describing historical events themselves.

Religious studies similarly balances personal voice with scholarly objectivity. When analyzing sacred texts or theological arguments, scholars often use first person to distinguish their interpretation from traditional readings.

Business and Professional Writing

Business writing follows different conventions than academic essay writing. The appropriateness of first vs. third person depends entirely on context and purpose.

Professional reports often use first person when describing team actions: “We conducted market research across five demographics” or “Our analysis revealed three emerging trends.” This approach creates clarity about who performed research and takes ownership of recommendations.

However, formal business proposals might favor third person for perceived objectivity: “The analysis revealed” rather than “We found.” This creates distance between findings and researchers, suggesting findings exist independently.

Marketing and advertising copy frequently uses second person (“you”) to address customers directly—an approach generally avoided in academic contexts. “You deserve the best customer service” speaks directly to potential clients.

Resumes present unique challenges. Strenuously avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun. Write “Managed team of fifteen sales representatives” rather than “I managed…” The first-person perspective is understood in resume context.

Business email conventions vary by organizational culture. Some companies favor friendly, conversational first person: “I wanted to follow up on our meeting yesterday.” Others prefer formal third person or neutral phrasing.

When in doubt about business writing conventions, observe how colleagues and supervisors communicate. Match the formality level and perspective choices common in your workplace.

Checking Style Guides: APA, MLA, and Chicago

Major style guides provide specific guidance about first-person usage:

APA (American Psychological Association): Of the “big three” style guides, APA urges first person most strongly. The 7th edition explicitly states that first person is acceptable and often preferable to awkward passive constructions. APA emphasizes clarity—if first person provides clarity, use it.

MLA (Modern Language Association): MLA acknowledges that first person appears commonly in humanities writing. The handbook doesn’t prohibit first person but emphasizes that every element should serve your argument. Use first person strategically, not habitually.

Chicago Manual of Style: Chicago supports first person when clarity demands it. The manual states under 5.220 (16th edition), “When you need the first-person singular, use it.” Chicago recognizes that avoiding first person sometimes creates more problems than it solves.

Each style guide serves different disciplines:

• APA: Psychology, education, social sciences
• MLA: Literature, humanities, arts
• Chicago: History, fine arts, some social sciences

Always verify which style guide your instructor requires. Different professors within the same department might prefer different styles depending on their scholarly training and preferences.

Beyond the major three, specialized fields use additional guides:

• IEEE (engineering and technology)
• AMA (American Medical Association for medical writing)
• Bluebook (legal writing)
• AP (Associated Press for journalism)

Each maintains distinct conventions about person and voice. Journalism traditionally avoids first person except in opinion pieces and personal interviews.

Practical Tips for Writing in Each Perspective

Techniques for Strong Third-Person Writing

Effective third-person writing doesn’t simply avoid first-person pronouns—it actively constructs clear, compelling prose focused on ideas rather than the writer.

Focus on evidence and analysis: Direct reader attention toward your subject matter. Instead of “I found three themes in the data,” write “Three themes emerged from the data: economic insecurity, social isolation, and institutional distrust.”

Use strong verbs: Active verbs create dynamic prose even without first person. Rather than “I will demonstrate that,” write “This analysis demonstrates that” or simply “Research shows that.”

Employ authoritative statements: When making claims supported by evidence, state them directly. Don’t write “I believe this evidence suggests”—just write “This evidence suggests.” Your citations establish whose claims you’re making.

Vary sentence structures: Third person doesn’t mean monotonous prose. Mix sentence lengths and structures to maintain reader engagement. Combine simple declarative statements with complex analytical sentences.

Maintain clear attribution: Without first person, ensure readers always know whose ideas you’re presenting. Use signal phrases: “According to Smith (2024),” “Johnson argues,” “Recent research demonstrates.”

Making First Person Work Effectively

Strategic first-person usage requires restraint and purpose. Follow these principles for effective first-person academic writing:

Use “I argue” for claims, not “I think”: When staking your position, “I argue” signals scholarly confidence. “I think” sounds uncertain and informal. Compare “I argue that climate policy requires immediate action” versus “I think we should probably do something about climate change.”

Let “we” refer to co-authors only: In multi-authored research papers, “we” should only refer to the authors and never the audience unless your intention is to write a conversational piece rather than a scholarly document. Define “we” clearly if you use it to reference broader groups: “As educators, we recognize…”

Front-load first person strategically: Establish your credentials or methodology early, then shift focus to analysis and evidence. Your introduction might include “I examined fifty years of policy documents,” but subsequent paragraphs focus on what those documents revealed.

Balance personal voice with objectivity: Even when using first person, maintain scholarly rigor through evidence, citations, and logical reasoning. First person doesn’t excuse you from supporting claims with research.

Vary your phrasing: Don’t start every sentence with “I” or “we.” Alternate between first-person constructions and other sentence structures for better flow and rhythm.

Transitioning Between Perspectives

Some essay types appropriately combine perspectives in different sections. Dissertations commonly use third person in literature reviews but first person in methodology chapters.

When transitioning between perspectives:

Signal shifts clearly: If you must change perspective, do so at natural section breaks. Don’t shift mid-paragraph.

Maintain internal consistency: Each section should use consistent perspective throughout. Don’t alternate sentence by sentence.

Consider using section headings: Clear headings help readers navigate perspective shifts between sections focused on different purposes.

Justify the shift: Changing perspective should serve clear rhetorical purposes. Don’t shift simply for variety—shift because different sections require different approaches.

For most undergraduate essays, maintaining consistent perspective throughout works best. Save complex perspective transitions for advanced research projects where different sections serve distinct functions.

Maintaining Consistency Throughout Your Essay

Consistency in point of view demonstrates control and professionalism in your writing. Before submitting any essay, review specifically for perspective consistency.

Use find-and-replace strategically: Search for first-person pronouns (I, me, my, we, our) in your draft. Verify each instance serves a purpose. Remove unnecessary self-references.

Read aloud: Hearing your prose helps identify awkward shifts or overused constructions. If you find yourself saying “I think” or “I believe” repeatedly, revise for stronger statements.

Check section by section: Review each major section independently. Does this section maintain consistent perspective? Does it match the perspective used in previous sections?

Consider your instructor’s preferences: Some professors strongly prefer third person; others welcome first person. When assignment guidelines specify perspective, follow them exactly. When guidelines remain silent, model your approach on examples the instructor provides or on recent publications in your field.

Remember that writing essays effectively requires understanding conventions while also recognizing when breaking rules serves your purposes. The goal isn’t rigid adherence to outdated prohibitions—it’s clear, compelling communication that advances your argument.

Final Thoughts on Perspective in Academic Writing

Writing essays in 3rd person vs. 1st person isn’t about following inflexible rules—it’s about making informed rhetorical choices that strengthen your academic writing. Understanding when first person enhances versus when third person serves better empowers you to adapt to different disciplines, assignments, and audiences.

The academic community has moved far beyond blanket prohibitions against first person. Contemporary scholars recognize that sometimes the clearest, most honest way to present research involves acknowledging the researcher behind it. From scientific papers to literary analysis, today’s academic writers understand that connecting with readers often means embracing strategic first-person usage.

As you develop your scholarly voice, pay attention to published work in your field. Notice when established scholars use first person and why. Model your approach on successful examples while adapting to specific assignment requirements. Consult style guides relevant to your discipline. Most importantly, remember that effective writing prioritizes clarity, evidence, and compelling argumentation over rigid adherence to outdated conventions.

Whether you’re crafting a reflective essay, conducting scientific research, or analyzing literature, choose your perspective deliberately. Make it serve your rhetorical purposes. And when breaking traditional rules strengthens your communication, break them confidently with full understanding of the conventions you’re challenging.

Your writing will improve not through memorizing rigid rules but through thoughtful analysis of rhetorical situations, audience expectations, and communicative goals. Master both first and third person. Understand when each serves you best. And above all, write with clarity, conviction, and intellectual honesty—regardless of which pronouns you choose.

For additional support developing your academic voice, explore our guides on developing essay writing skills, infusing personal voice into formulaic writing, and understanding assignment requirements. When you need expert guidance navigating complex writing challenges, our team provides personalized essay help tailored to your specific needs and goals.