The Art of Metacommentary “In Other Words”

What is metacommentary? Metacommentary is telling someone how to interpret what you are saying or have already said. This is how you can direct readers to understand a quote from your viewpoint, thereby strengthening your argument.

What is metacommentary? “By this I mean…” “This quote clearly shows that…” “Therefore, this means that…” “What I am saying is…” “My point was not ____, but ____” “You will likely not like what I am about to say, but…” “In other words,…”

Why use metacommentary? As much as the connection between one point (or a quote) and your own may seem obvious, there are many ways your reader can get lost attempting to make these connections. YOU need to make that connect for your reader if you want them to agree with you and understand your thinking.

Why use metacommentary? Metacommentary is especially useful because it helps further develop your point. Metacommentary significantly strengthens your essay and adds YOUR voice to the paper.

Why use metacommentary? And the best part? Metacommentary makes it easier to reach your required page limit, while adding excellent support.

It is my intention in this book to show that a great media- metaphor shift has taken place in America, with the result that the content of much of our public discourse has become dangerous nonsense. With this in view, my task in the chapters ahead is straightforward. I must, first, demonstrate how, under the governance of the printing press, discourse in America was different from what it is now generally coherent, serious and rational; and then how, under the governance of television, it has become shriveled and absurd. But to avoid the possibility that my analysis will be interpreted as standard-brand academic whimpering, a kind of elitist complaint against “junk” on television, I must first explain that my focus is on epistemology, not on aesthetics or literary criticism. Indeed, I appreciate junk as much as the next fellow, and I know full well that the printing press has generated enough of it to fill the Grand Canyon to overflowing. Television is not old enough to have matched printing output of junk.

Adding Metacommentary Even when you reach the point where you have said EVERYTHING possible in your essay, add statements like these within your paragraphs:

Adding Metacommentary “In other words, ________” “What _____ really means is ______” “My point is ______” “This demonstrates that ______” “Therefore _____ shows that ______” “By this I mean…” “This quote clearly shows that…” “Therefore, this means that…” “What I am saying is…” “My point was not ____, but ____” “You will likely not like what I am about to say, but…”

More templates Essentially, I am arguing that _____. My point is not that we should _____, but that we should _____. To put it another way, _______. For example, _______. ______, for instance, demonstrates _____.

Even more templates Consider _____, for example. To take a case in point, _____. Even more important, ______. But above all, _____. Incidentally, ______. My conclusion, then, is that _____. In short, _______.

Practice Complete the following metacommentary templates in any way that makes sense: –In making a case for the medical use of marijuana, I am not saying that ______. –I am not saying that immigration should be illegal. Essentially, I am arguing that _______. –My point about the national obsession with sports reinforces the belief held by many _____ that _____. –The drinking age should/should not be lowered because people under 21 are not mature enough to drink. To put it another way, ______.