Response to "The Use of 'First Person' Writing Style in Academic Writing"
Writing in the first person not only allows me to feel as if I am playing with ideas, but allows me to actually play with ideas, in the moment.
In contrast, to write in the contemporary journal style I have first to calm my play down, then smooth it out, then iron it flat.
Scientific journals have always required high standards of ironing for very good reason: - the idiosyncratic creases of a personal perspective have little relevance to scientific enquiry; the testing out of a general hypotheses and the subsequent analysis of detailed results require nothing less than objectivity.
However, I doubt very much whether the writings of Freud (himself a scientist) would have remained resonant for so long, had he chosen to eradicate his own personal voice. Freud's fears, hesitations, apologies and concerns are felt throughout his writing. Perhaps it is the human quality in his 'thinking out loud' that allows generations of readers to reflect upon their own practice, so many years later on.
In a recent chapter I decided to write what I thought, in exactly the way I wanted, based on my own experience. I did not give in to any requests for quotations or references. A creative editor then made some small, yet sensible, suggestions for cutting things back. I still enjoy reading that work.
However, it is important to be able to write in both styles, and this applies particularly to music therapy students who need both sets of skills in understanding and communicating their work. For example, it is useful to write a case study twice using the opposite approach. You learn to extrapolate your own input from the situation and in so doing are more able to analyse its effect.
We do need to feel inspired by our reading, sometimes it is quite difficult to find that inspiration when the person writing becomes hidden behind the required style.
Like baking bread, one needs the space to make a mess and knead the ideas about, then ignore them and leave them to rise, then knead them back some more - just so long as the yeast itself does not die in the process.
About Elaine Streeter
Biography
Honorary Research Fellow in Music Therapy, Department of Music, University of York, UK.
Response to "The Use of 'First Person' Writing Style in Academic Writing"
Writing in the first person not only allows me to feel as if I am playing with ideas, but allows me to actually play with ideas, in the moment.
In contrast, to write in the contemporary journal style I have first to calm my play down, then smooth it out, then iron it flat.
Scientific journals have always required high standards of ironing for very good reason: - the idiosyncratic creases of a personal perspective have little relevance to scientific enquiry; the testing out of a general hypotheses and the subsequent analysis of detailed results require nothing less than objectivity.
However, I doubt very much whether the writings of Freud (himself a scientist) would have remained resonant for so long, had he chosen to eradicate his own personal voice. Freud's fears, hesitations, apologies and concerns are felt throughout his writing. Perhaps it is the human quality in his 'thinking out loud' that allows generations of readers to reflect upon their own practice, so many years later on.
In a recent chapter I decided to write what I thought, in exactly the way I wanted, based on my own experience. I did not give in to any requests for quotations or references. A creative editor then made some small, yet sensible, suggestions for cutting things back. I still enjoy reading that work.
However, it is important to be able to write in both styles, and this applies particularly to music therapy students who need both sets of skills in understanding and communicating their work. For example, it is useful to write a case study twice using the opposite approach. You learn to extrapolate your own input from the situation and in so doing are more able to analyse its effect.
We do need to feel inspired by our reading, sometimes it is quite difficult to find that inspiration when the person writing becomes hidden behind the required style.
Like baking bread, one needs the space to make a mess and knead the ideas about, then ignore them and leave them to rise, then knead them back some more - just so long as the yeast itself does not die in the process.