1, 2, 3 person point of view p184

Ikuto appreciates the opportunities he has had to visit the campuses of many fine universities over the last few years, and he looks forward to visiting many more in the future.

Compare a third-person approach with a first-person comment:

The third-person passage is broader in scope and suggests an issue of larger significance, while the first-person passage makes the same issue more a matter of personal reflection.

Either approach is equally correct; just consider the approach that is desired and the message that is to be conveyed.

As shown in the following sentence, information conveyed via a first-person point of view stresses the personal account of the speaker or writer (or the narrator, when writing fiction):

I appreciate the opportunities I have had to visit the campuses of many fine universities over the last few years, and I look forward to visiting many more in the future.

People sometimes fail to realize the significance of obtaining a driver's license as a rite of passage in our culture. (third person)

I did not realize the significance of obtaining a driver's license as a rite of passage in our culture. (first person)

Frequently, students will add first-person statements like I think, I feel, or I believe that do not convey any information and that actually serve to weaken writing.

In the sentence, I truly believe that science has the power to transform our culture, for example, it is unnecessary to say I truly believe because the reader knows a writer believes

This viewpoint can offer a more generalized perspective through the use of pronouns such as everyone or indirect nouns like people.

The following sentence, for example, shows that information conveyed via a third-person point of view is more formal and creates a distance between the writer (or narrator) and the reader that is common to formal writing:...

Point of view is often studied in literature classes to explore how a writer tells his or her story. As a writer, consider the most effective way to convey information to readers.

The perspective from which an author writes is called the point of view. When writing from a first-person point of view, the narrator is a character within the story.

Textbooks and study guides, for example, may employ a second-person viewpoint, and a letter or e-mail is usually written from this point of view.

The use of a second-person point of view is like speaking directly to another person, so it's important to consider whether or not such directness will be appropriate.

When this second-person sentence is read, it could seem accusatorial, depending on the context.

Therefore, it is very important to consider the subtle changes in meaning that various points of view create.

Again, this is unnecessary and deflates the writing.

Third-person point of view is generally considered the most formal writing style. The narrator of a story that is written from a third-person point of view will reference the thoughts or actions of other characters.

what he or she is writing; such phrasing also suggests that the author's personal attitude to this and other subjects must continually be expressed.

This style can become monotonous. Additionally, students sometimes use this type of phrasing in an almost apologetic way, as if to say, "It's just my opinion and you may not agree."...

A second-person point of view is another option. Text that is written from a second-person point of view specifically refers to the reader using the pronoun you.

Though a second-person viewpoint is often considered too informal for academic writing, it has many other uses.

In nonfiction writing, that character is the author, and in fiction writing, the narrator may be any of the characters in the story.

When using a first-person point of view, a writer should use the pronouns I and my or possibly we and our.

A student might, for example, find a first-person point of view in a current issue of an academic journal-a collection of articles by professionals for professionals-though that same journal might have prohibited the use of first person in years past.

When writing in an academic setting such as a classroom, it is important to ask the instructor whether or not the use of first-person point of view is permitted.

Using the first-person point of view is an effective way to communicate a story about oneself or one's personal feelings and attitudes toward a subject.

While at one time it was considered inappropriate to use first person in a formal setting, that opinion is gradually changing and first person can be found in a wide range of writings.

If we change our earlier example to second person, it becomes quite different:

You have failed to realize the significance of obtaining a driver's license as a rite of passage in our culture.