An issue that many students face today is being able to balance the expectations of their professors with their own personal voice. It has been ingrained in our minds since grade school that the use of “I” and “we” is only acceptable in personal narratives. John M. Swales, a linguist known for his genre analysis, points out that in regards to audience and participants, an “appropriate role for the authorial persona…requires reflection and negotiation.”
While the audience is a vital aspect of the writing process, the rhetor must remain true to him/herself and express his/her opinions in the way that he/she wishes to, without hesitating because of the intended audience.
