Stance and Voice

The terms 'stance' and 'voice' are often used by tutors and supervisors when giving feedback, but students are not always clear on their meaning. Below is a definition by what is intended by 'stance' and 'voice' within an academic context, as well as examples of how they can be incorporated into your writing.

Stance

"Stance" refers to a writer's position on a particular subject. Stance plays a significant role in academic writing because it demonstrates a writer's thoughtfulness and engagement with their subject. On a language level, a writer's expression of stance will inevitably shape the overall tone and style of their document.

Voice

"Voice" describes how a writer conveys his or her stance. It refers to those sections of text, or words or phrases, which reveal the writer's stance and criticality. Certain stretches of text will inevitably be descriptive in that they will convey uncontroversial content, such as facts, strongly-supported claims or well-known opinions. However, writers can position stretches of descriptive content within an overall critical framework. By framing content in this way, writers can make it work to support their individual stance.

Oxford Voice Examples

Please follow the link below to consider a number of techniques used by Oxford students to incorporate voice into their writing:

• Expressing Stance & Voice

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