When writing an essay, the choice of whether to write in first or third person is about the first thing you should do. Both have their pros and cons; however, academic writing is generally inclined to third-person, albeit not in all cases.
But no matter what you will choose for any particular essay, the worst thing you can do is to write in to alternating modes: first- and third-person. Yes, if it is done cleverly it really can turn your essay into something special – but in order to pull such trick off you should be a very good writer, with an excellent command of language and style (and if you are such kind of writer, it is rather doubtful that you would read these tips). In most cases such alteration will simply confuse the reader and make the essay look – and, very likely, be – sloppily written.
The main positive feature of first person is that when you speak about personal experiences, opinions, impressions and suchlike you are capable of influencing your reader emotionally to a much greater extent than when you write in third person. It allows for more personal, even intimate tone of voice, the reader feels as if the writer addresses him directly.
Of course, such tone is not always appropriate, and even when it is appropriate there are risks. For example, the writer – especially if he isn’t very experienced – may gravitate from writing about a topic from his point of view and giving the reader some personal impressions to writing almost exclusively about himself, with the topic being just an excuse for ranting on about his ideas, thoughts and views.
In other words, first-person writing can make a very good impression in some cases if you know how to use it. On the whole, academic writing discourages its use with the exception of a few situations when it is specifically called for: for example, when you are directly asked to recount your personal experiences. Usually, even when you have to express your personal opinion it is better to do it in an impersonal manner.
The reason for it is simple – third-person writing feels more factual and solid. The reader is less inclined to instinctively believe that the writer tries to persuade him of something and more likely to believe the proof presented in the essay. It also makes for a more professional and less casual tone, which, in most cases, is exactly what is necessary in academic writing.
When someone reads a third-person essay, he expects it to be objective, as he feels that the author distances himself from what he is writing about and is less inclined to give any personal insights.
This said, however, it should be noted that the choice between first and third person is rather rarely given to the writer – in most cases, it is indicated in the task which person is to be used, and some assignments have it implied. For example, it is rather hard to write an autobiographical piece in third person, while first person is almost unthinkable in a research paper.