Letter From the Editor Blog:

Letter From the Editor Blog

November Updates From the APA Editorial Board

Soon after forming Walden’s APA Editorial Board, two issues related to academic writing were brought forth for interpretation and a response. The Editorial Board was asked about use of the first person (I, me, my) in academic writing and the use of the word that.

First Person

Both students and faculty report instances where they see either a discomfort or the outright prohibition of using the first person (personal I) when a student refers to themselves as the researcher. After some discussion through e-mail, members of the Editorial Board agreed that use of the first person in a capstone manuscript is preferred by APA and a requirement of Walden University. Although APA did not always prefer use of the first person (style guides can change with each new edition), per APA 3.09, use of the third person (the researcher/this researcher) is an example of an undesirable attribution of action. APA’s preferred method is to use I, when there is a sole author of a paper (referenced on p. 69 of the APA 6th Edition).

Overuse of the personal I can indeed be a challenge to writers as well. In accordance with APA’s language on avoiding repetitive phrasing (APA 3.05) and economy of expression (3.08), additional writing strategies (such as the passive voice) can be employed to reduce the use of the personal I. Although first person should be used in the narrative of a manuscript, first person should not be used in an abstract.

Use of the Word That

Students have reported that some faculty or capstone committee members are prohibiting use of the word that. Although APA 3.08 includes caveats for economy of expression, including an explanation of wordiness where the phrase, “based on the fact that,” is discouraged, use of the word that is often a grammatical requirement.That can introduce indirect discourse (Strunk asserted that ….). That is also a defining or restrictive pronoun that is used for clarity. Both Walden and APA promote economy of expression; however, a carte blanche prohibition of the word that will negatively affect the flow of the narrative, Currently, there are examples of grammatically necessary and appropriate uses of that on the Form and Style website.

If you have other questions about use of the first person, use of the word that, or anything related to APA and writing the capstone, contact editor@waldenu.edu.

Walden University APA Editorial Board