The difference between voice and tone can be hard to distinguish so I will try and give you some insight on the matter. The tone of a paper can be something that’s very difficult to explain. Often, problems with tone make a paper feel awkward or just not right somehow. The formality of a paper, is it approachable, does it encompass all a specific subject matter has to offer or does is seem like a mere primer for a topic. The tone will effect how your audience will view your paper and it can be manipulated to achieve the right feeling for your audience.
Voice is a bit more personal when it comes to qualities of a paper. Instead of finding your voice as many writing classes ay emphasize I am partial to the theory that one must develop their voice. Reading and more reading is the best way I know of to develop your voice. When you read different styles of writing and you experience the voices of different, often accomplished writers, you are more aware of ways to edit and tweak your own voice to make it unique. The danger is in developing your voice to the point where it is so unique and personal that you begin to lose touch with the audience and clarity begins to slip away. There is no set of magical rules for the highly personal quality of voice, but it is important to realize that your voice is a very useful tool that allows the audience to read a sentence and know that you wrote it.
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