1. The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing
The Say, I Say
The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing

2. Food For Thought—Do You Agree or Disagree?
Are good writers naturally good or have they mastered basic writing “moves” that improve their work? “What makes writers masters of their trade is not only their ability to express interesting thoughts but their mastery of an inventory of basic [writing] moves…”

3. Food For Thought—Do You Agree or Disagree?
Burke famously likened written intellectual conversations to a debate at a party—find this quote on page 13. What is compelling about this metaphor? What does it teach us about writing & intellectual conversation in general?

4. What Does “They Say/I Say” Mean?
After reading the introduction to Graff & Birkenstein’s work They Say I Say, how would you explain what the “They say/I say” concept means? Why is what “they say”, so important?

5. How do you “join the conversation”?
Join in (annotate) while you read—it’ll help you “get it”
Include the broader conversation regarding your topic (the “they say” element)
Say something valuable—it has to pass the “so what?” test!
Plant a naysayer in your text—It might be objected that __________; however, I contend that _____________________.

6. The Formulas From the Introduction
Go through the text—highlight the formulas that are given. You will need to use one or more of them in your next essay.