'I' or 'We'

ThirdMan

Another essay writing 101 question. Would you use 'I' or 'we' in a law essay when guiding the reader through the essay?

coylemj

Your boards name suggests you should use 'he' :rolleyes:

evercloserunion

"I" is definitely frowned upon. To be honest I would think that "we" is frowned on as well but I've just finished a dissertation where I use it numerous times, and my supervisor has always reassured me that it's fine.

bob_lob_law

I was always told never to use personal pronouns in an academic essay.

seamus

Didn't study law, but I would have assumed that "One" would be an appropriate pronoun, as in, "One should consider that...."

You can also avoid the use of personal pronouns altogether and write it as, "It should be considered that..."

maddogcollins

In any academic essays I have written I would use "one".. "One would then consider" instead of "we would then consider"...

Reloc8

Use of 'we' in this sense is in appropriate. It speaks to an effort to persuade by enlisting as opposed to articulate by explanation.