Grammar Software

Personal experience can play a big part in some fields of academic writing.  While technical and science courses probably won’t have much use for personal accounts, they often figure prominently in many others.  Here are suggestions to using them within individual fields:

Philosophy. Personal experience can prove valuable in Philosophy papers, often as a way to illustrate an argument.  Make sure the connection between your account and the argument is clear, lest leave the reader wondering why you chose to divulge your sexual proclivities in a college essay.

Arts. When writing about film, literature and other works, using personal experience as a tangential reference works very well.  Their inclusion should not be as straightforward as an illustration, though; rather, they need to be used as an accessory, either to demonstrate a tangential point, to give context to an analysis or for effect.  Discussions of how specific types of readers react to a piece is almost always welcome.

History. If you’re discussing current history, then some personal experience may be thrown in, especially if you’re recounting something first hand.  For much of historical writing, though, it should be avoided to retain objectivity.

Women’s Studies, Language Studies. In these fields, personal experience can serve as direct evidence for analytical and argumentative essays.  While it won’t carry the same weight as a study with a sufficient sample, it can be accepted in moderation.

One area that most students think will require heavy use of personal experiences is religious studies.  In truth, though, that’s not at all the case.  Religion courses are often best approached using a cultural, historical or textual perspective, leaving your strong personal beliefs out of the equation.

It goes without saying, never write a college paper without the aid of a grammar assistant software.  Whether you’re writing objective arguments or recounting personal experience, delivering it in an error-free form is always mandatory.