Recently I read an essay by Kate Mckinney “I need you to say ‘I’”: Why First Person Is Important in College Writing where she explains the importance of using “I” in a first-person speech in college essays. In the essay, Mckinney argues against the misconception that “I” has no place in formal writing. She uses logical arguments to defend her reasoning on why “I” should be used in formal writing. One thing I truly like about this essay is that she explains her reasoning but also tells you how and when not to use the first-person method. Mckinney explains the reason why teachers discipline students on using “I” was because they believe papers become very “objective”. Basically stating that students get too personal in their writing and do not actually answer an essay prompt generally.
My Personal Opinion
I completely agree with Mckinney on why the first person in formal writing is important. During my high school days, we were told to never use “I” in formal writing because it does not look proper. I completely disagreed with this statement. I feel when incorporating “I” as personal prompts asking for an opinion or a personal prompt, or even college entry essays, you should be able to use “I”. I feel that if we use “I” in more formal prompts, the readers will understand where we as writers are coming from. Obviously, we should not use the first person in every single prompt, but we should be able to use “I” in most cases. When using “I” the readers will know our personal feelings connecting theirs to ours. At the end of the day we are writing and writing is a way of connecting and understanding others.
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