Instructors and fellow students keep saying that the use of pronouns is not allowed with APA format. I disagree. When I'm stating how I searched for a particular journal article, can't I state, "I began my search......" ? Please help!

Question

anonymous · Answer

yea i dont see what would be wrong with that - thats what i have always usually said

anonymous · Answer

I was marked down last semester for using pronouns in my paper. I didn't fight it because it didn't effect my overall class grade. Now I have another paper to write and students who took the class last semester said they were marked down for using "I". I just printed off information from 2 different websites (one is this site)  stating that it is perfectly acceptable to use "I . I plan on turning it in with my paper. :)

e.mccormick · Answer

In every APA guide I have seen, the main problem is engendered pronouns. They do discourage pronoun use unless it is clear what the pronoun is a reference to. I is VERY clear! http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/14/ http://www.eiu.edu/edadmin/9%2027%202010%20American%20Psychological%20Association%20Guide%20Revised.pdf http://www2.gcc.edu/dept/psyc/APA_example.htm Now I know that the MLA guide says that the final authority is your professor. I do not know if that is also true for APA. However, if a professor never said anything about pronoun use and marked off for I, I would argue it was improperly graded. He, she, he/she and related engender and slash issues I would know from the references as being improper.