Personal voice in essays!? HELP! (1 Viewer)

[Seppuku]

Can someone PLZ explain to me what a 'personal voice' in an essay is? They are always raving on about it in the notes from the marking centre and I have noo idea what their on about.

 

[darcski]

Do you mean as in the personal voice they tell you not to put in? That would be saying things like "this text showed ME..." or "I...", my teachers have always told me never to use the first person, even if the question is something like "How have these texts contributed to YOUR understanding of journeys"

 

[DownInFlames]

Personal voice is where you refer to your own opinions ie. "An exploration of this text has influenced my understanding."

Have a very close look at the question:
If it asks how it has influenced YOU or what YOU thought about it, you have to answer that aspect of the question.

 

[DownInFlames]

Do you mean as in the personal voice they tell you not to put in? That would be saying things like "this text showed ME..." or "I...", my teachers have always told me never to use the first person, even if the question is something like "How have these texts contributed to YOUR understanding of journeys"

That's not true any more. In a history essay, no, you wouldn't. But in english they now see addressing the question as an important component. To address this question you have to refer to your own opinions using personal pronouns.

The thing here is that they don't ask for an essay every year. Sometimes they want a personal response.

Look at this paper:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/hsc2006exams/pdf_doc/english_adv_06.pdf

 

[Seppuku]

Yeh I was talking about the markers wanting MORE personal voice in an essay. I think they probably want you to use more "I's" and "me" or whatever.

 

[claireaye]

Do you mean as in the personal voice they tell you not to put in? That would be saying things like "this text showed ME..." or "I...", my teachers have always told me never to use the first person, even if the question is something like "How have these texts contributed to YOUR understanding of journeys"

My english teacher had to make a point of drumming the idea that you can't use "I" out of our heads because that's how we'd been taught up until year 11. Obviously its only relevant to certain questions but you can say "I" etc...

 

[DownInFlames]

claireaye I love your avatar.

 

[haitch.ess.see]

lol i rang the advice line asking this exact question. they told me it's a myth that you can't ever say I or me or anything, just dont over use it. What everyone else is saying is right, if they are asking for a personal response, they want just that.

 

[emmalinarina]

Yeah they prefer you not to use first person unless you can support it with relevant qoutes, information, etc...

 

[tanjin]

You can write a personal response in third person. It work just as well.

I've been told, that we can write personal responses in both first and third person, however third person is preferred.

 

[yonitamarie]

you can right perosnal responses both in forst and third person. ultimately, just add onto the end or something 'it can ge said however xxxxx' ....then back it up with quotes and crap

 

[kloudsurfer]

So...how are you supposed to write a 'personal' response in the third person? What makes it any different to just writing an essay?

I always thought a personal response was just an essay where you use first person! The only personal response question i ever got I just wrote it like an essay (using 'the responder' an such) and got 19/20...

Im confused! Whats the difference?

 

[tanjin]

So...how are you supposed to write a 'personal' response in the third person? What makes it any different to just writing an essay?

I always thought a personal response was just an essay where you use first person! The only personal response question i ever got I just wrote it like an essay (using 'the responder' an such) and got 19/20...

Im confused! Whats the difference?

There really is no difference. I write in third person because its sounds formal + im more comfortable with it. As long as you have clearly answered the question and shown your understanding of the texts - the way you've written it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[yonitamarie]

"THE JOURNEY ALLOWS US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OURSELVES " ...response in 3rd person nutters...

So...how are you supposed to write a 'personal' response in the third person? What makes it any different to just writing an essay?

I always thought a personal response was just an essay where you use first person! The only personal response question i ever got I just wrote it like an essay (using 'the responder' an such) and got 19/20...

Im confused! Whats the difference?

 

[tanjin]

"THE JOURNEY ALLOWS US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OURSELVES " ...response in 3rd person nutters...

I don't get it.

 

[Sumrestler]

All as they mean when they say personal voice in essays is that they want you to use more pronouns. For example them moving text... because it shows you have an indepth understanding of the text. They don't want you to write a whole page on why you liked it or why you didn't. If the question is open and they want personal voice write a letter because it is an easy text type to add personal voice. Hope that helps. Goodluck

 

[tylercal]

When they say they want more personal voice, if they are talking about a personal response, they mean more talking about you ie how it has influenced YOUR understanding - use more personal evaluation.

HOWEVER, the term personal voice can ALSO (esp in a non-personal response essay) mean that it should feel more authoritive and representative of your opinion - it should feel like you are telling the examiner what you think through the exam. That DOES NOT mean the use of "I" or "I think.."

This means that by using evaluation, you imply that this is your feeling about it. An ok response says - "I think that X did this well" an implicit evaluation (what you should be aiming for) says something like "X skillfully subverts Y to make the responder feel Z". It is implied throughout every statement of your evaluation what you think - you think hes skillfull, etc.

 

[kloudsurfer]

Ah yes i think i understand it now.

So a personal response is just an essay with pronouns.