Wemimo B. Jaiyesimi, Consultant
I remember receiving feedback on one of my class papers from an esteemed professor during my graduate studies in the UK. She appreciated my work and the research I had done but wanted to hear more of my voice, more of my ideas, and more of my critical reflections on the research I was documenting. In another paper I wrote for her, she commented that “my voice came through” – although not in all parts of the paper. However, there was improvement! My advisor here at Baylor has also emphasized voice, pushing me and my colleagues to honor our voices in our writing. I once heard him speak of a scholar friend of his who, as he put it, came to realize readers of his books were interested in reading him. To have a voice in one’s writing comes from the realization that your readers are interested in your writing and not simply how well you have succeeded in cataloging other people’s voices (however authoritative those other voices may be).
Having a voice means effectively communicating in one’s writing a confident sense of the unique contribution(s) that a piece of writing makes to the discursive academic field(s) in which one locates or aspires to locate it. The voice is what grounds the writer’s originality, and being original is a crucial feature of good research writing. To have a voice is to take ownership of the writing as one’s own, to show throughout the piece of writing that one is not simply repeating what has been said. It is not paraphrasing the insights of others, nor is it masterfully referencing the sources employed. I want to suggest the following four practices that can help to hone and maintain voice as we write.
- Have a clear thesis statement from the outset. We have all been told how important a strong thesis statement is to a good research paper, article, or essay. Without a clear thesis, the paper lacks a defensible argument. Having a clear thesis, however, is even more crucial when it comes to being able to maintain one’s voice. Why is that? A clear thesis statement helps drive your writing forward, helping organize its various elements, and keeping all of the parts interrelated. Without a clear thesis (which should also be interesting and original), the writing is likely to be jumbled, with no argumentative thread running through it.
- Employ quotes sparingly. Employing too many quotes in your writing can cause your voice to be muted. You should only use quotes when necessary. Paraphrasing is better, as it helps translate the words into your own, restating them in your terms. Yet, even in paraphrasing, one is still primarily relaying the ideas of others. To maintain your voice, don’t simply paraphrase, but engage and interact with the paraphrased ideas. Why is the author whom you have quoted important? After quoting or paraphrasing, say something that helps establish to your reader how you understand the connection between the quote and your argument.
- Take the evaluative stance. This point is connected to the above point about linking paraphrases and/or quotes to the program of your argument as stated in your thesis. By the evaluative stance, I mean ensuring in your writing that you are not simply reporting ideas, but critically evaluating those ideas, including yours.
- Do not feel the need to justify your authority. As new and emerging scholars, graduate students may feel overwhelmed by how little they know about their chosen areas of research. But too often, we underestimate how much we know! While intellectual humility is crucial to good research, you shouldn’t feel afraid to believe in the importance of your ideas to the community of scholars you belong to. Through practice, develop your original insights, and communicate these in a way that doesn’t cede ownership of their originality to authorities.
Having a voice is important for stamping your authorial identity on your writing. Although it might seem daunting, as with most things in life, it grows with practice and experience. The four points noted above are by no means the only ones that can help, but if practiced, they can go a long way in helping us get a handle on that often-elusive idea of writing in a way that maximally incorporates our voice.