The Importance Of Identity In Academic Writing

Improved Essays
As several other high school students know, the five paragraph essay dictates most of the upper level English courses. We were told that identity should be obsolete in all of our academic writing, but in reality, it is extremely difficult to not have some form of our identities. As Bronwyn T. Williams states in the paper “Pay Attention… the importance of identity in academic writing”, identity is vital to any literary work. If it is not incorporated, the reader will immediately revert to their “cultural default setting of whom we assume the author to be” (Williams, 712). Because of this, the diversity of communication becomes lost. Additionally, Jane Burke focuses on the significance of using writing as a way to develop an author’s personal …show more content…
This also address the issue that schools, including mine, used academic writing strictly for grades and allowed it to become almost a competitive atmosphere. They would force, or rather greatly encourage, us that we have to aim for the perfect paper to get that perfect score. Because of this constant pressure perfectionism, it is easy to understand why students such as myself would struggle with thoughts of self-doubt and anxiety. Instead of negatively affecting students, “essay writing involves struggles at the intellectual and emotional levels and it is ultimately about author/ising the self” (Burke, 206). Essentially, essays should focus on having students forcefully put their identity into their writing and to not be afraid to do so. I agree with Burke’s theory of how writing is like a “gate-keeping device” and that it ensures different forms of writing to be heard in the literary community. It should be used as a method for people at a disadvantage to allow their voices to be heard, including people from any gender, sexuality, race, cultural background, and those with

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