Vartanian 1 Tina Vartanian John Kubler English 114A 3 September 2013 Mastering Concepts Every activity whether it is hockey,

swimming, dancing, or even reading have certain aspects that one must master and always rely on to succeed. The same thing goes for academic or social writing. In order to write properly one must know how to communicate their ideas in a way that makes sense to others as well. The basics in which one must master in order to become a great writer include the use of templates. In the textbook They Say, I Say authors Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst introduce the reader to the importance of challenging, [agreeing] with, or otherwise responding to the opinions of others by explaining the ...they say, I say... concept, teaching ways to respond as well as how to become an intellectual writer (4). Authors Graff, Birkenstein, and Durst begin to explain the They Say, I Say concept to the reader and how essential it is for the writers work to make sense. Due to the fact that without contradiction, there is no reason for anyone to argue or express their opinions, the concept of They Say is regarding the critics or the opposition. While They Say refers to the subject being challenged, I Say is your ...response to the arguments of others (4). There are many ways to respond to others, whether it is ...simply agreeing or disagreeing[or whether it is] on the one hand/on the other hand framework (Graff, Birkenstein, Durst 9). The templates given for each of these options vary however, they all express the writer's voice as a result of a topic in which they believe in. The templates allow the writer to expand their comfort zone and add

Vartanian 2 creativity to their writing by allowing various sentence structures. The examples as well as templates provided in the book, allow the reader to see different writing samples. This allows the reader to become a better writer and to ...become a critical, intellectual reader who has the ability to...participate in conversations [around the] world in an active and empowered way (Graff, Birkenstein, Durst 13). Rather than listening or even having weak arguments, by the use of templates and different styles of writing, one is able to unconsciously embrace their knowledge and participate in conversations or debates around them.