Ambar E.

Morales Aldarondo August 21,

2014
English 3103 Prof. Ellen Pratt
Section: 036H

Page 15 (exercise 2):
In Introduction to They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing,
Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein provide templates designed to structure and help
students establish their own writing ideas and opinions in a professional way.
Specifically, Graff and Birkenstein argue that most people dont know how to write a
well-done argument because they dont include other people opinions. As the authors
themselves put it, They Say / I Say. Although some students believe it establishes
limits in creativity, Graff and Birkenstein insist that these templates help you create
original writing. In sum, then, their view is that this templates will help student be better
at writing future documents but with what others have to say and their opinion about it in
one same structure.
I agree. In my view, the types of templates that the authors recommend are helpful for
everyone when it comes to structuring a sustainable idea. For instance, when you are in a
conversation and want to argue in a reasonable way you can use the help these templates
give you. In addition, it is good to have these methods because they can be useful when
you write an important paper in the future. Some might object, of course, on the grounds
that some people believe creativity can be restrained in the process. Yet I would argue
that creativity could be enhance in this process because structuring a good argument and
adding a piece of your personality to it will increase its value. Overall, then, I believe I
will use this tools in future assignments an important point to make given is that it will
be useful thru a persons whole life.

Page 28 (exercise 1):
a. Although the government says that Ohios groundwater can be drinking water,
our experiments suggest that there are dangerous levels of chemical X in the Ohio
groundwater.
b. Many philosophers say that knowledge is the key to understand history, but I
think material forces drive history.
c. Proponents of Freudian psychology question standard notions of rationality, on
the other hand some philosophers say that philosophy is rationality itself.
d. Although women disagree, male students often dominate class discussions.
e. When it comes to the topic of films, people think that The Notebook is just
about love, I think the film is about problems of romantic relationships.
f. Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein use templates to help us structure good
arguments but Im afraid that templates like the ones in this book will stifle my
creativity.