Chapter 1: “They say”
Entering the Conversation
In the introduction of “They say, I say”: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein introduce core components to help one become a stronger writer. Many inexperienced writers have trouble eloquently expressing their thoughts and ideas simply because they are unsure how to, and due to the traditional setup of writing essays–with only a thesis statement followed by logical facts and evidence. The key point that Graff and Birkenstein reiterate are presented as user friendly templates; establishing technique to help the less experienced writer effectively communicate their ideas across to their audience by responding to what “they say”. While some instructors and students argue these templates are formula like and take away originality and creativity from writing, Graff and Birkenstein advocate that simply when their concepts are put into practice, they can become familiar to the writer. Once comfortable, their technique will be further utilized and creatively improvised naturally.
One of the first and foremost principles Graff and Birkenstein introduce is to identify and summarize what “they are saying”. Traditionally, students are under the impression that academic writing simply consists of regurgitating a thesis statement followed by monotonous supporting evidence. This misconception causes the audience to lose interest in the topic and then ask, “Why is the speaker telling me this?” or “Okay.. so? And?”. The answer is that if the writer doesn’t clearly establish what the larger conversation he or she is responding to, there is no point to why the following statements are being presented. In other words, a quote, argument, statement, or debate must be summarized and introduced first, then the reader must present their own view about that particular subject promptly after. Then the writer can summarize in detail why he or she supports or opposes the argument. This will avoid losing the reader’s interest, and doing so will allow your audience to understand and follow the details and upcoming elaboration throughout the text.
Another principle mentioned is to remind your reader with “return sentences” strategically throughout the paper to reinforce the point that you are making. Without doing so, the longer and more complicated the text is, the reader may get lost in the details and summarizing of such, and in result, forgetting the main motivations that were mentioned in the beginning, no matter how clear or transparent they are. Keeping what “they say” in view, the reader will be reminded of the main message or point the writer is trying to get across.
What I learned: This book has so far been an interesting read for me, considering the fact that English and writing has never been my favorite or strongest subject. However, I did learn quite a lot reading the preface, introduction, and first chapter. I learned that argumentative academic writing is in fact conversational, and that is how creativity is produced. It is in human nature to respond to ideas, and it’s easy for me to say as a woman since we are naturally so word and opinion driven. I also learned the different ways of starting your writing. The different templates helped and gave me a clearer insight on how easy it is to improvise on your own after practice of using Graff and Birkenstein’s technique. Good stuff.
Chapter 2: “Her point is”
The Art of Summarizing
In chapter 2 of “They say, I say” Graff and Birkenstein further educate that in order to argue persuasively, the conversation being responded to must first be summarized and paraphrased. To avoid bias and compromising the writer’s credibility, the audience should not being able to tell the writer’s position. Simply said, to write a very good summary, you must see the argument from their perspective first–without summarizing the topic too much that they lose their own voice during the process. According to writing professor Karen Lunsford, a concise one or two sentence summary should suffice. However, if there are several points and supporting claims in the initial summary, the writer must do so in an organized list format manner. After telling the readers enough about the argument, it is incredibly important to then finally focus all the points mentioned around the overall main concern and or claim being exerted by the writer.
Another way to present the initial conversation the writer is responding to is by ‘summarizing satirically’. This is an exception to what was previously mentioned; one can utilize satire as an effective form of critique because the summarized argument will denounce itself without having the writer to overly restate what “they say”.
Lastly, Graff and Birkenstein suggest the use of signal verbs are fairly significant in argumentative and persuasive academic writing. Replacing “he or she believes” or “says” with signal verbs like “protests”, “challenges”, “questions”, or “demand” retains the passion behind the argument. Doing so will keep the text more fascinating and intriguing, and much less bland.
What I learned: I learned two writing techniques to begin an argumentative or persuasive text. I also learned that it is important to essentially keep the vocabulary ‘spicy’ when writing such essays.
Chapter 3: “As he himself puts it”
The Art of Quoting
In chapter 3 of Graff and Birkenstein’s “They say, I say”, another essential premise to presenting an effective argument is to quote the exact words of what ‘they say’. By doing this, it establishes immense credibility to the audience, as well as provide proof of evidence towards a claim. However, writers tend to make the mistake of either quoting too little or too much. In regards to that, writers must choose their quotes wisely and integrate them cleverly to further support their text. Most importantly, the quote must be connected to the main point being made.
When integrating quotations into text, writers must also frame every quote with clear relevance. Using a “quotation sandwich”, first comes the statement introducing the quote, who is saying it, then following the explanation of the writer’s take. It is very important to restate the quote in your words to make certain that you and your audience are on the same page. Make use of signal verbs as well to describe the quotes more vividly. Concluding this chapter, Graff and Birkenstein advise that it is better to be overly explicit with how the writer interprets the quote in junction with their main argument, rather than leaving your readers uncertain.
What I learned: In chapter 3 I learned how to effectively present a quote into an argument using the “quotation sandwich” tool.
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