The document discusses finding an appropriate academic or formal voice when writing for college. It contrasts informal language with more formal academic writing. Key aspects addressed include using more precise language and descriptive verbs, adopting a third-person point of view while occasionally using first person, and practicing revising writing to eliminate informal phrases and word choices. The purpose is to help writers communicate effectively for educated audiences in a college setting.
2. Levels of Language
Ways of writing and speaking exist on a continuum
from the highly informal to the extremely formal.
• Informal: “I was, like, just thinking that Keeping Up
with the Kardashians really sucks.”
• Formal: “It occurred to me that Keeping Up with the
Kardashians is a terribly profound statement on the
deterioration of popular culture and demonstrates a
certain lack of morals found in American society
today.”
3. Academic Writing
• It’s not your “mother tongue.”
• It is more formal than speaking; you should not write
like you talk to your friends.
• Being able to speak to a broader audience of
educated readers is a skill that takes practice.
• However, your writing doesn’t have to sound stuffy or
be boring. You can still add humor, be interesting, and
have fun with your writing.
• Your writing can still “sound” like you; it just needs to
be college appropriate.
4. Diction
• When we speak, we use phrases like “get rid of.” In a
college paper, you would replace that with
“eliminate.”
• If you need to say “that’s pretty good,” in a paper, you
might choose to use “worthwhile” or “more than
adequate” instead.
• In other words, your word choices should be a little
more elevated in a college essay than in a
conversation.
• Therefore, writing with a dictionary and thesaurus
handy is necessary as well as helpful!
5. Verb Choice
• Instead of using informal and often weak verbs,
academic writing should include strong descriptive
verbs that hold meaning and have value.
• Here are some verbs to avoid in college papers. They
are both informal and not accurate.
• talks about, tells, shows, says, states
• Instead, replace them with precise, accurate verbs
that are descriptive. Here are some examples. You will
find more listed on the English Corner handout
“Signal Verbs” posted on eCampus.
• describes, illuminates, explains, argues, exposes,
illustrates, confirms, concedes, criticizes, contradicts
6. First vs. Second or Third Person
• First person focuses on you the writer
• Third person focuses on the issue/subject rather than the
writer.
• First person is emotionally immediate.
• Third person is generally more objective and distanced.
• Third person is more appropriate for college writing.
• However, you can use first person when presenting your
own experience or when you want to be emphatic.
• It is never appropriate to use second person (you/your) in
college writing. It talks directly to the reader and is far too
informal. Simply avoid you/your in academic writing.
7. Careful use of First Person
• It’s unnecessary to use phrases like “I think,” “I feel,”
“I believe,” or “in my opinion.”
• The reader knows you think or believe something. It’s
your paper!
• However, trying to avoid first person altogether makes
your paper awkward and difficult to write.
• The rule is simple: If you can eliminate the “I”
statement or rewrite it without changing the
meaning, do so. Otherwise, leave it in.
• Still, it’s best to save first person for the introduction
or the conclusion.
8. Claim Your Position
• Use first person in the introduction to introduce your
argument if you begin with a personal anecdote.
• I remember growing up poor.
• Switch to third person when you provide evidence in
the body paragraphs.
• Studies show that over half of American families are now
living below the poverty level. This means that a family of
four is getting by on less than $20,000 a year.
9. How to Find and Correct Informal Voice
• When you first write your paper, don’t worry about
using formal voice. Just put your thoughts down on
paper.
• When you go back and revise and edit your paper, you
can rewrite sections that are in informal voice.
• One easy way to do this is to read your paper out loud
and backwards.
• In other words, go the last sentence of your essay and
read it out loud. You will easily be able to tell if it is in
formal register and if there are any grammar
mistakes. Just keep reading it one line at a time.
• With time and practice, you will get better!
10. Practice
The example below is in informal voice. What words or
phrases do you see that should be replaced with more
formal choices?
• I feel that the welfare programs our government
offers poor people in this country are so messed up
that they should be done away with.
11. Identify the Informal Voice
The words and phrases that are identified below need
to be revised to be more formal. The words “welfare
programs” and “poor people” are derogatory and
belittling. They are not appropriate for a college paper.
The other phrases are obviously too informal or are in
first person and simply need to be reworded. Before
moving on, see what you can come up with on your
own to revise this sentence.
• I feel that the welfare programs our government
offers poor people in this country are so messed up
that they should be done away with.
12. Corrected Version
Here’s a revised version that is more appropriate for an
academic essay.
• Widespread reports of abuses within this country’s
welfare system have led many people to believe that
public assistance programs should be eliminated.
There is some validity to this suggestion.
Notas do Editor
College teachers don’t expect you to speak like the second example, but you should be moving towards more formal language in all your papers.
