Critical Thinking Corner: Voice

Use your (academic) voice!

When beginning the writing process, it is important to keep your reader in mind. Who are they? What are their expectations? At university, most of your readers will be academic staff who expect your writing to use certain conventions. One convention of critical writing is 'voice.' Your voice is developed by clearly stating your interpretation of the sources and ideas identified in your writing. 

Developing a scholarly, clear, authoritative voice starts with the note-making process. Having noted your thoughts when reading, you will have a greater capacity to take your ideas even further when drafting. Refer to the summaries you made in your notes to skilfully integrate the voices of other sources with your own.

Things to remember:

• Always introduce a quote by giving the author's name and describing their position in the field of enquiry.
• Always comment on a quote before moving on.
• Never allow a quote to simply 'speak for itself.' Your voice is a vital indicator for your reader.

In the example below, the source is clearly introduced and commented upon.

Important: When you include other sources in your writing, you must acknowledge them using the referencing system preferred in your faculty or discipline. You can access referencing guides in the UWA library. (The example above uses MLA style)

Useful links:

How to survive ... Critical Writing

How to survive ... Quoting Sources

Jump Start: Critical Thinking

Useful examples: Voice in Academic Writing

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