Academic writing in the third person
How to write in an academic register without sounding robotic, when first person is acceptable, and how to convert your own sentences.
7 min read · Reviewed 2026 · Written and reviewed by Chris McGarrigle
Many departments expect the third person in dissertation writing, though conventions differ by discipline and some explicitly permit first person in reflexive sections. Check your own handbook first — it overrides any general rule.
Where third person is expected, the aim is to keep attention on the evidence rather than on the writer, without collapsing into passive, lifeless prose.
Converting first person sentences
'I think the data shows a link' becomes 'The data indicate a relationship between…'. 'I interviewed twelve nurses' becomes 'Twelve nurses were interviewed' — or, in disciplines that allow it, 'This study interviewed twelve nurses'.
Notice that the converted versions are also more precise. Third person forces you to name what is doing the work: the data, the study, the analysis.
Hedging is precision, not weakness
'Suggests', 'appears to', 'is consistent with' and 'may indicate' let you state findings accurately. Reserve strong verbs for claims your data can carry.
Keep the voice readable
Third person does not mean every sentence must be passive. 'The analysis identified three themes' is active, third person and clear. Overusing the passive is a common cause of unreadable chapters.
Common mistakes
- Switching between first and third person within a chapter.
- Contractions and conversational asides in formal sections.
- Passive constructions so heavy the actor disappears entirely.
- Ignoring a handbook that explicitly permits first person.
Try this: Convert a page
- Take one page of your draft.
- Highlight every I, we, you and my.
- Rewrite each sentence so the evidence is the subject.
- Read it aloud and fix anything that has become unreadable.
Do it in SuperDiss
Convert your own sentences and check tone paragraph by paragraph.
Open the Academic Writing labStudents also ask
- Why do dissertations use the third person?
- Third-person writing keeps the focus on the evidence rather than the writer, which is the convention most UK departments still expect for undergraduate and master's work.
- Can I ever use 'I' in a dissertation?
- Yes — reflexive qualitative research, autoethnography and many doctoral theses use the first person to make the researcher's position visible. Check your handbook and your supervisor's preference.
- How do I convert first person into third person?
- Replace 'I interviewed twelve participants' with 'Twelve participants were interviewed', and 'I think' with an evidence-anchored claim such as 'The data suggest'.
Related research: write it up
Draft, tighten and reference each chapter so the golden thread holds together.
Dissertation structure: chapter by chapter
The standard dissertation structure explained chapter by chapter, with indicative word counts, what each chapter must prove, and how the chapters connect.
How to write an abstract
A six-move formula for a dissertation abstract, with word budgets and the mistakes that make abstracts unusable.
How to write a limitations section
How to write an honest, well-judged limitations section that strengthens your dissertation rather than undermining it.
Continue your dissertation journey
- How to write a discussion chapter
- How to write a literature review
- How to write a dissertation introduction
- How to write a methodology chapter
- How to write a results chapter
Browse every guide in dissertation writing.
Read next
This guide is general educational content. Your institution's regulations, handbook and supervisor's instructions always take precedence. Where a named framework is mentioned, consult the original source text rather than relying on this summary.