Passive Voice, Point of View, and Other Guidance on Style

Active and Passive Voice

Writing by strategic leaders frequently requires a greater level of economy, precision, and directness than many other forms of writing. For that reason, USAWC faculty may insist upon nearly exclusive use of the active voice (as opposed to passive voice) in student papers. If the subject of the sentence is doing something (e.g., “I am writing this sentence”), the sentence is written in active voice. If the subject of the sentence is having something done to it (e.g., “This sentence is being written by me.”), then the passive voice is in play. In active voice, the form of the verb used places the subject of the sentence in the active position: the subject performs the action rather than being acted upon. As in: “Strategic leaders must use language judiciously.”

A passive construction of the sentence reads: “Language must be used judiciously by strategic leaders.” In passive voice, the subject receives the action of the object.

Professional/academic papers are most commonly written in the third person point of view. The most effective also minimize use of personal pronouns. When personal pronouns are used, papers written in third person include the pronouns he, she, or it (third person singular) and they (third person plural) while avoiding avoid the use of I (first person singular), we (first person plural) and you (second person). Many who write in the first person (a) fail to advance intellectual arguments grounded in reason and research, (b) over estimate the importance of personal experience/opinion to a writing task, and/or (c) mistakenly equate unsupported opinion with reasoned argument. If handled appropriately, writing in the third person point of view the third person statement of “The writer of this essay proposes” (an awkward construction) or even “This paper proposes,” or “This essay will…” as papers are inanimate and cannot propose anything. Rather than using that sort of phrasing, simply launch into your argument. Don’t tell the reader what you’re going to say…just say it…

The contrast between first and third person points of view is illustrated in the following examples from the Effective Writing Lab Online (EWLO):

First Person (Informal)

Late in 2014, I observed chaos in the American media following the Sony Pictures Hack. My colleagues and I argued about what we should do to deter cyber espionage. As it now stands, companies and private citizens can do little to protect themselves beyond tightening their own cyber security. I have never seen a hacker deterred by such measures, however. I think hacking back would be the best approach, but it is illegal under current US law.

Third Person (Formal)

The Sony Pictures Hack brought cyber espionage to the forefront of the American media consciousness late in 2014, sparking debate over appropriate responses to and effective means of deterring cyber espionage. As it now stands, companies and private citizens can do little to protect themselves beyond tightening their own cyber security. Hackers, however, are seldom deterred by such measures. Active cyber defense—hacking back—may be the most effective, if not only, recourse. Unfortunately, hacking back is illegal under current US law.¹

 ¹Thomas H. Mancino, “Hacking Back: Active Cyber Defense,” The Army War College Review, May 2015.