Let's Get Personal: Utilizing 1st Person Point of View in Academic Writing

After spending so much time reading course materials, digging through library databases, and reflecting on the expertise of others, it can seem odd when the time comes to include personal experience in academic writing. However, sometimes we have to include this personal experience. Perhaps it is a reflective discussion post or final project based on original research. Maybe it is a piece of professional communication or even a prospectus. Any of these documents may end up including first person point of view or personal experiences. 

A little something to remember: Even when we include our personal experiences, we have to follow APA style guidelines and general best practices in academic writing. Here are some of the resources you may find useful when including first person point of view and personal experiences in your academic writing.

• First person point of view overview: This page from our website explains what first person is and when to use it
• How and when to use first person pronouns: Our blog post will explain how to use first person pronouns appropriately in academic writing
• An overview for including personal narratives: This is the first in a multi-post series about how to include narrative writing in academic writing
• Citing personal communication: If you interview someone as part of your personal experience, that conversation can (and should) be cited
• Citing yourself: Referring to something you have worked on in the past can be another way to include personal experience, but we have to remember to cite ourselves

The Walden University Writing Center creates and organizes material related to all aspects of scholarly writing. Explore our blog posts, modules, webinars, website content, and more by starting at our homepage: https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter 

Never miss a new post; Opt-out at any time