Academic writing differs from other written activities, as it has specific goals. The objective of the academic work is to inform the reader about a particular problem, providing facts and arguments. According to academic writing rules, the use of contractions, first and second persons in formal writing is not acceptable (Bailey, 2017). This paper aims to discuss writing essays experiences using contractions and the first and second persons, and why this practice should be ended.
One of the main reasons for prohibiting the use of contractions, first and second persons, is the communication process’s complication. First, in academic writing, opinions must be factual, so objectivity becomes essential. Objective judgments are most appropriately expressed in the third person since, in this case, the student has to provide a link to the source of a particular view. Second, a third person’s use improves the speech flow, making the text simpler and more uniform. It is imperative since academic work often delivers new and complex information.
Contractions are also unacceptable because they create unnecessary ambiguities, while academic work aims to clarify a specific issue. Academic writing style differs from newspapers and novels since it tries to be as accurate as possible in presenting ideas and facts (Bailey, 2017). Therefore, academic papers can contain many symbols, dates, numbers, and the unreasonable use of the contractions complicates perception and may lead to a misunderstanding.
Thus, it was discussed why the practice of writing essays using contractions and the first and second persons should be ended. The reasons for abandoning this practice are that this approach makes perception difficult, creates an unprofessional and biased image of the work, and does not correspond to academic work goals. Therefore, essays using contractions and the first and second persons are not recommended.
References
Bailey, S. (2017). Academic writing: A handbook for international students. Routledge.