Flagged in 2-5% of literature review paragraphs. When your lit review says 'I believe' or 'I found that,' the focus shifts from the research to the researcher—and your committee notices immediately.
Avoid first-person pronouns in literature review sections.
APA 7 technically permits first-person pronouns, and in your methodology chapter, 'I' is often appropriate: 'I conducted semi-structured interviews' is clearer than the tortured passive alternative. But in a literature review, first-person pronouns are almost always a problem. The literature review synthesizes what other researchers have found, not what you think. Every 'I believe' or 'in my opinion' in Chapter 2 undermines the section's purpose as an objective survey of existing knowledge.
The most common first-person intrusion is the narrative 'I': 'I found that Smith (2020) argues...' or 'When I reviewed the literature, I noticed a gap.' Your committee doesn't need to hear about your research process in the literature review—they need to see the results of it. 'Smith (2020) argues' and 'A gap exists in the literature' communicate the same information without the unnecessary narrator. The lit review should read like a guided tour of the evidence, not a diary about finding it.
There's an important distinction between 'I' in the literature review (problematic) and 'I' in the methodology or reflexivity sections (appropriate). In Chapter 3, 'I selected participants using purposeful sampling' is direct and clear. In a qualitative reflexivity statement, 'I acknowledge my position as a former administrator' is expected and honest. The rule isn't 'never use first person'—it's 'don't insert yourself into the literature review, where the focus should be on the research, not the reviewer.'
Literature reviews should focus on existing scholarship, not your personal narrative. First-person shifts the focus from research to the writer.
Students use first-person in lit reviews thinking it makes writing more personal. However, lit reviews should synthesize existing knowledge.
Ask: "Am I the subject of this sentence or is the research?" If you are the subject, rephrase to make the research the focus.
In my review of the literature, I found that motivation theories...
Research on motivation theories demonstrates that... (third-person focus on scholarship)
The 'I found that' adds nothing. The literature review reports what the literature says, not what you found while reading it.
I found that several researchers have studied the impact of professional development on teacher retention.
Several researchers have studied the impact of professional development on teacher retention (Smith, 2020; Jones, 2021; Williams, 2022).
Personal opinion replaced with evidence-based claim supported by citations.
In my opinion, transformational leadership is the most effective leadership style for schools.
Transformational leadership has demonstrated stronger effects on school culture and teacher satisfaction than transactional or laissez-faire approaches (Leithwood & Sun, 2012; Marks & Printy, 2003).
Personal belief and anecdotal experience replaced with evidence-based justification for the research gap.
I believe that this gap in the literature needs to be addressed because I have seen the impact firsthand as a teacher.
This gap in the literature warrants investigation, particularly given the increasing rates of teacher attrition in Title I schools (Ingersoll & May, 2012) and the limited research on sustainable intervention strategies.
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