Academic writing and author positioning in scientific articles: contributions to the teaching of the genre

Abstract

In this article, we aim to investigate the author’s point of view revealed by the use of the first-person and the third-person perspectives in scientific articles from three areas of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences, Education, and Engineering, starting from the first area mentioned. Our theoretical input comes from literacy approaches as social practices in the use of writing in the stricter sense: the academic literacy as specific practices in the university sphere. In this framework, we intended to map the first-person and the third-person occurrences. In order to achieve this goal, we decided to adopt both qualitative and quantitative approaches and the content analysis methodology. We concluded, among other aspects, that in the area of Applied Social Sciences, there is a relative flexibility in the use of the first-person in relation to the third-person; and in the areas of Education and Engineering, the preference is for the first-person and the third-person, respectively. This is a study that may contribute significantly to teaching and research of academic literacy practices.