They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing 3rd Edition By Gerald Graff & Cathy Birkenstein NOTE: To change the image on this slide, select the picture and delete it. Then click the Pictures icon in the placeholder to insert your own image.

Introduction You are entering a “conversation” when you write. Your ideas are usually in response to others’ ideas. Thus, “They Say” where you summarize what others’ have said. Once you have a good understanding of the conversation and where you are entering into the conversation, you can respond with your ideas…thus, “I Say.” Academic writing is argumentative writing. Example: “You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations.” Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

Introduction-cont. Ways of Responding -Agreement She argues ________, and I agree because____________. Her argument that_____is supported by new research showing that ______. -Disagreement (see the MLK example) -Agreeing & Disagreeing He claims that_____, and I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I agree that______. On the other hand, I still insist that_________.

Introduction-cont. Putting in Your Oar “You come late. When you arrive, others have long preceded you, and they are engaged in a heated discussion, a discussion too heated for them to pause and tell you exactly what it is about…You listen for a while, until you decide that have caught the tenor of the argument; then you put in your oar. Someone answers; you answer him; another comes to defense; another aligns himself against you…The hour grows late, you must depart. And you do depart with the discussion still vigorously in progress.” Kenneth Burke The Philosophy of Literary Form

Chapter 1: “They Say”: Starting with What Others Are Saying First, it is important to address the rhetorical context of author, audience, topic, & purpose. Your argument is more effective if these elements are crystal clear. Leave inferences and symbolism at the door in nonfiction academic writing. Second, the order of establishing the on-going conversation context before giving your own ideas is important. Just throwing out an idea without an reference point of previous ideas is like trying to hit a target with your eyes closed. APA style papers insist on this order; a “Review of Literature” or “Introduction” is a required section before you proceed to your original section of the paper.

Chapter 1: “They Say” cont. Templates for introducing “standard views” Common sense seems to dictate that__________. Conventional wisdom has it that __________. It is often said that_____________. Many people assume that_____________. Templates for introducing something implied or assumed Although X does not say so directly, she apparently assumes that ________. One implication of X’s treatment of ___________ is that ____________. While they rarely admit as much, ___________often take for granted that __________.

Chapter 1: “They Say” cont. Templates for introducing an ongoing debate In discussions of X, one controversial issue has been______. On one hand, ______argues____. On the other hand, _____ contends_______. Others even maintain_________. My own view is_____. When it comes to the topic of _____, most of us will readily agree________. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the questions of_____. Whereas some are convinced that _____, others maintain that ____________. Example: “Theories of how the mind/brain works have been dominated for centuries by two opposing views. One, rationalism, sees the human mind as coming into this world more or less fully formed—preprogrammed, in a modern terms. The other, empiricism, sees the mind of the newborn as largely unstructured, a blank slate.” Mark Aronoff “Washington Sleeped Here” Even after you move past the introductory establishment of the ongoing conversation, you will need to occasionally remind your reader/audience of the points with which you are either agreeing, disagreeing, or qualifying.

Chapter 2: “Her Point Is”: The Art of Summarizing The ability to summarize is basic to entering the conversation. You must map your claims relative to what others have said. Summarizing is also paraphrasing…putting the information in your own words. A good summary balances what the original author said with what your focus is. Your summary should not give away whether you support or not support the original author’s viewpoint.

Chapter 2: “Her Point Is” cont. In addition, summarizing an opposite viewpoint can be characterized as “suspension of disbelief” or the “believing game,” where you are to “see” actively the opposing viewpoint. In order to accomplish this, avoid “qualifying” words/statements such as adjectives to describe YOUR viewpoint (evil, best, desirable, unfortunate, etc.), verbs with significant positive/negative connotations (rant, rail, whine, complain, etc.), and adverbs to describe (erroneously, blindly, etc.) You can use these to describe the original author’s viewpoint. More on this later. Caution: Be sure you accurately understand and summarize the original author’s viewpoint.

Chapter 2: “Her Point Is” cont. “The Closest Cliché Syndrome”-not the actual viewpoint of the original author, but a familiar cliché that the writer mistakes for the author’s viewpoint; reflects the writer’s bias & preconceptions Example: MLK’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” be misinterpreted as a plea for everyone to get along when it is actually a defense of civil disobedience. The other side of the balance is that you keep your focus (spin) on your topic. For example, you may only summarize one or two key points the original author makes in an article on the effective use of civil disobedience by a number of activists if your focus is a particular activist or a specific technique. Do not be throwing “everything but the kitchen sink!”

Chapter 2: “Her Point Is” cont. This will turn into a boring “list summary.” List Summary Example: “First, the author states….Second, the author contends…Next the author…In addition, the author…” One exception to the Rule of Balance in summaries: the satiric summary (a form of critique). The satiric summary is where a writer deliberately gives his or her own spin to someone else’s argument in order to reveal a glaring shortcoming in it. It lets the summarized argument condemn itself without overt editorializing. The words and actions undermine themselves, especially when they do not match.

Chapter 2: “Her Point Is” cont. Current political comedy such as The Daily Show and many of the monologues by the late night show hosts practice this. Example: In a September 2001 speech, President Bush urged the nation’s continued participation and confidence in the American economy” as a means of recovering from the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Journalist Allan Sloan summarized the President’s proposal by saying that the President had equated “…patriotism with shopping. Maxing out your credit cards at the mall wasn’t self-indulgence, it was a way to get back at Osama bin Laden.” You do want to use the qualifying adjectives, verbs, and adjectives mentioned previously when ACCURATELY describing the original author’s position.

Chapter 2: “Her Point Is” cont. Templates for Introducing Summaries & Quotations: She advocates a radical revision of the juvenile justice system. They celebrate the fact that_______________. He admits ___________. Verbs for Introducing Summaries & Quotations: Making a claim: argue, assert, believe, claim, emphasis, insist, observe, remind us, report, suggest Expressing agreement: acknowledge, admire, agree, celebrate the fact that, corroborate, do not deny, endorse, extol, praise, reaffirm, support, verify

Chapter 2: “Her Point Is” cont. Questioning/Disagreeing: complain, complicate, contend, contradict, deny, deplore the tendency to, qualify, question, refute, reject, renounce, repudiate Making Recommendations: advocate, call for, demand, encourage, exhort, implore, plead, recommend, urge, warn

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It”: The Art of Quoting Quoting someone else’s words gives you: Credibility Ensures fairness and accuracy “Proof” of what the other person said Three Ways Quotes Are Not Used Correctly Not Enough of the Quote Used (fragmentary) Too Much of the Quote Used (obvious it is not understood) Quote is Not Explained—Don’t make the quote an orphan! You must give it a new home in your writing!

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. Two Ways to Integrate Quotes: Choose Quotes Wisely—They should be specific to a point you are making. Surround Quotes with a Frame—This includes who said it, what it means, & how it relates to your text. What “they say” must always be connected with what “you say!” Quote Relevant Passages Each quote should be carefully chosen based on well it supports your text. Do not insert quotes just to show you have read the material or just to have a quote. Your choice of quotes may change over time as you revise your text.

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. Frame Every Quotation Quotes without a frame are called “dangling” or “hit-and-run” quotes. Example: Susan Bordo writes about women and dieting. “Fiji is just one example. Until television was introduced in 1995, the islands had no reported cases of eating disorders. In 1998, three years after programs from the United States and Britain began broadcasting there 62 percent of the girls surveyed reported dieting.” I think Bordo is right. Another point Bordo makes is that…

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. What was wrong with how that previous quote was used? No introduction—Who is Bordo? What is her stake in this discussion? Is the quote even hers? No explanation—So what? What is the correlation among television, women, and eating habits? Is “dieting” an “eating disorder?” No firm relationship to current text—“I think Bordo is right” is not enough. Use a “Quotation Sandwich” Introduction (Who said it & Why) “Quote” Explanation (What you take it to say & Why it is important in your argument)

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. Templates for Introducing Quotations X states, “……” As the prominent philosopher X puts it, “..…” According to X, “…...” X himself/herself writes, “…” In his/her book, ______, X maintains that “…..” Writing in the journal Y, X complains that “..…” In X’s view, “…..” X agrees [or disagrees] when he/she writes, “…..” X complicates matters further when he/she writes, “…..”

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. Templates for Explaining Quotations Basically, X is warning that [the proposed solution will only make the problem worse]. In other words, X believes____________. In making this comment, X urges us to _____________. X is corroborating the age-old adage that _______________. X’s point is that ______________. The essence of X’s argument is that_____________. Use language that accurately reflects the spirit of the quoted passage. For example, in the previous quotation about Fiji from Bordo, while you can use the neutral verbs of “states” or “asserts,” it is apparent she is concerned about the situation. It would be acceptable to use the verbs such as “alarmed,” “disturbed,” or “complains.”

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. Previous Quotation by Bordo Improved: The feminist philosopher Susan Bordo deplores Western media’s obsession with female thinness and dieting. Her basic complaint is that increasing numbers of women across the globe are being led to see themselves as fat and in need of a diet. Citing the islands of Fiji as a case in point, Bordo notes that “until television was introduced in 1995, the islands had no reported cases of eating disorders. In 1998, three years after programs from the United States and Britain began broadcasting there, 62 percent of the girls surveyed reported dieting” (149-50). Bordo’s point is that the Western cult of dieting is spreading even to remote places across the globe. Ultimately, Bordo complains, the culture of dieting will find you, regardless of where you live. Bordo’s observations ring true to me because, now that I think about it, many women I know, regardless of where they are from, worry about their weight…

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. Blend the Author’s Words with Your Own Echo author’s words with your own variations or synonyms as seen in the previous example: “broadcasting” for “television,” “Western cult” for “United States” and “Britain.” Can You Overanalyze a Quotation? When in doubt, it is better to risk being overly explicit about what you take a quote to mean than to leave the quote dangling and your readers in doubt. In fact, even if you know your audience will be familiar with the quoted author and his/her position, it is important that the readers see how you interpret the quote, especially those of controversial figures, since their words can be interpreted in various ways and used to support different, sometimes opposing, agendas. This helps the readers know if their and your interpretation of the material is the same.

Chapter 3: “As He Himself Puts It” cont. How Not to Introduce Quotations Redundancy Redundant: “Orwell asserts an idea that…” Better: “Orwell’s assertion is that…” Best: “Orwell asserts that…” Misleading Misleading: “A quote by Shakespeare says…” It is the writer who is doing the quoting, not Shakespeare. The writer is interpreting the quote.

Chapter 3: “ ” cont.