CHARACTERISTICS OF

OBJECTIVE WRITING
Objective Writing
To achieve an objective and impersonal tone, you can:
1. Focus on the facts and information, not personal
feelings and ideas

2. Avoid evaluative /subjective words which show

personal feelings and emotions.
 E.g. “badly”, “disappointment”, “amazing” etc.
 Use technical evaluations e.g. “valid”, “inaccurate”,
“reliable”, “clearly demonstrates”, “out-dated”
Objective Writing
To achieve an objective and impersonal tone, you
can:

3. Use hedging to show caution about your views,

 e.g. “second-hand smoking may cause cancer,”
 “there is evidence to support the possibility that
second-hand smoke increases the risk of cancer.”
Objective Writing
4. Be explicit and specific with ideas
e.g. “ten” instead of “several”,
“70%” instead of “most of the population”,
“in 2009” instead of “several years ago”/ “in the past”

5. Avoid exaggeration like “awfully”, “very”,

“really” “the most”, “the very best”, “everyone”,
“always”
Objective Writing
6. Avoid personal pronouns, write more
impersonally
 “it could be argued that…” instead of “I think…”,

 “Satherley (2007) believes that…” instead of “some

research suggests”

 “I think…” “In my opinion” weakens the strength of your

argument, it emphasizes that the writing is just your
opinion, rather than positions supported by evidence.
Avoiding personal pronouns - Example 1

“In this essay I will examine how gender and

ethnicity factors affect buying behaviours.”
“Careful examination of gender and ethnicity
factors shows how these affect buying
behaviour.”
“Gender and ethnicity factors affect buying
behaviours by…”
Avoiding personal pronouns - Example 2

“I think that assisting developing countries to

grow crops such as tobacco and opium poppies is
not in their best long-term interests”
“Assisting developing countries to grow crops
such as tobacco and opium poppies is not in their
best long-term interests.”
Avoiding personal pronouns - Example 3

“In my opinion, paying benefits to high-school

students encourages them to stay at school when
they would be better off in paid employment.”
“Paying benefits to high school students
encourages them to stay at school when they
would be better off in paid employment.”
Avoiding personal pronouns - Example 4

“As a teacher, I believe teachers need training in

observing pupil behaviour to pick up on
unexpressed needs.”
“Educationalists need training in observing pupil
behaviour to pick up on unexpressed needs.”
Use of passive voice
 One way to focus on the ideas instead of the writer
is the use of passive voice.
Active voice Passive voice
Doer - subject Receiver - subject
Action – verb Action – verb (passive form)
Receiver – object My phone was stolen!!!!!
Somebody stole my phone!!!!!
 The Passive Verb Forms
Tenses Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect continuous
(take) Be + Ving + p.p. Have + been +
p.p.

Past Was / were Was / were Had been taken Had been being
taken being taken taken
Present Am / is / are Am / is /are Have / has been Have /has been
+ taken being taken taken being taken
Future Will be taken Will be being Will have been Will have been being
taken taken taken
Example 1

 Many people believe tourism can bring economic

benefits to a city. (active)

 It is believed that Tourism can bring economic

benefits to a city. (passive)
Example 2

 We have interviewed many people to collect useful

data.

 80 people have been interviewed to collect useful

data.
Example 3

 The hospitality industry needs well-trained

professionals to provide quality services to guests.

 Well-trained professionals are needed to provide

quality services to guests in the hospitality industry.