2 Chapter 2: Building Credibility and Asking Questions

Building Credibility: Can I use “I” in academic writing?

When we write in academic contexts, we are putting forth our ideas as valid, valuable contributions to the conversation. That might feel intimidating! You might be thinking: how do I have the authority to make claims and contribute ideas? The truth is, you don’t yet, not without building credibility as a writer. Credibility comes from almost every aspect of our writing. We’ll build credibility through our tone, our use of reliable sources, our analysis skills, etc. But we can also draw on our experiences, identity and perspective to build credibility.

Have you ever asked this question: Can I use “I” in my paper? Some people might think that there is a distinction between personal and academic writing. But, in fact, academic writing is always from an “I” perspective, whether the “I” is explicitly stated or not.

Let’s take a look at two different versions of a sentence:

• The city government should provide more funding for homelessness services.
• In my opinion, the city government should provide more funding for homelessness services.

In the second version, the word “my” is used, which is a personal pronoun like “I”. Both sentences come from the writer’s perspective and express the writer’s opinion. It’s just that the second version makes it explicit that an opinion is being expressed. Whether the first or second version would be stronger will depend on the larger context this sentence is used in.

Let’s take a look at an expanded version of the sentence above:

• In my experience working with the Opportunity Council in Bellingham, Washington, I have seen the challenges people experiencing homelessness face, from safety issues to lack of access to food and clean drinking water. Due to these challenges, the city government should provide more funding for homelessness services.

In this version, the writer draws from personal experience to build credibility. The writer uses “my” and “I” to establish that the experiences are their own. Then, the author ties the observations to the claim about government funding. This last version is the strongest example because it uses “I” to build credibility.

Different “I’s”:

There are different “I” perspectives that we can write from. Here are some different types of “I” perspectives:

• The Personal “I” – The ways my perspective has been informed by first-hand experience, observation, practice, & reflection.

Examples – “In my experience…” or “If I reflect on this idea…” (See “I” sentence above)

• The Socio-cultural “I” – The ways my perspective has been informed based on my memberships in & interactions with different groups & communities.

Examples – “As a member of such-and-such group, I…”

• The Scholarly “I” – How my perspective has been informed by my reading and examination of the work of other scholars and writers.

Examples – “I understand so-and-so to be arguing that…”

In different situations, you may emphasize some “I’s” more than others. Each “I” can be influenced and informed by the others. Thus, your personal “I” gains more authority when you also draw on knowledge and experience from one or more of the other “I” perspectives. Your scholarly “I” can be influenced by your personal and socio-cultural experience. Each perspective contributes to your authority as a writer and thinker in different contexts and situations.

A final note about using personal pronouns in academic writing: Although surfacing the “I” perspective can be a great way to build credibility in your writing, using “you” often detracts from credibility. Using “you” (including “your”, “we”, and “our”) causes an author to make assumptions about their reader, which readers tend not to like.

Asking Questions: Inquiry

Inquiry is a critical thinking skill that basically means to question. It can also mean to analyze, examine, investigate, or study.

Throughout the quarter, we will write discussion questions to prompt discussion about the Text Sets we read. Strong discussion questions are the kind that make us think. They result from strong critical thinking and genuine inquiry. They should follow the guidelines below:

Features of Strong Discussion Questions:

• They arise out of thoughtful and focused engagement with a text
• They require interpretation and analysis ‐ not yes/no, not either/or
• They are likely to generate conversation and lead to further questions
• They often have multiple potential answers, not obvious answers

Where should you start?

• Look for passages that make you think, interest you, confuse you
  • Including a passage, word, or phrase from the text within your question is a good way to ensure that your question genuinely engages with the text
• Look for patterns as well as oddities (things that don’t fit) in the texts
• Question your assumptions
• Consider an alternative perspective
• Look for connections between texts or between you and the texts

Helpful Templates:

• “If‐Then” questions ‐ “If we accept the fact that… then what are we to make of…?”
• “To what extent…?”
• “Why is it important that…?”
• “What does it mean that…?”

Examples:

• Emerging (great start but needs more):
  • What does it mean when Alexie (1997) writes “I was trying to save my life” (p. 131)?
• Stronger:
  • When Alexie (1997) writes “I was trying to save my life” (p. 131) to what extent is he being literal and how does he think reading and writing has saved him?
• Layering (putting 2 or more questions together):
  • What does it mean to see something “through academic eyes” (Graff, 2010, p. 204)? How should schools encourage students to do this?
• Layering and connecting between texts (Graff and Alexie):
  • How does Graff think “street smarts” (p. 198) and “intellectualism” (p. 200) are valued? What would Alexie think of these concepts? How does their value change within different cultures?