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Onkar Dogra

Professor Gregory Graham

RHET 1312-06

21 February 2019

Preface

In the preface, the author Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein explain the basis of how

the book They Say, I Say. They state that writers need to engage in a conversation when

formulating a piece. In a writing, the author has to summarize what others say in order to

establish one’s own argument. This template is exemplified in “Of course some might object that

______. Although I concede that ______, I still maintain that _______. (XXI)” In the example,

the first line represents what others say, while the next line states what the writer says. From

awareness of the model of “they say/ I say” students can improve their own reading and writing

skills. Along with the “they say/ I say” template, the book also provides further templates to

improve a student’s writing. In many instances, the templates don’t simply help improve writing,

but they also create writing. The preface also states the arguments against templates, such as it

places writing on “autopilot” and removes creativity. However, the authors argue that the

templates are not supposed to stop creative thinking, but rather promote it, by giving students an

idea of where to begin and allowing them to change it. The authors also claim that they support

the use of pronouns such as “I” and “we”, as they can be helpful in crafting stronger arguments.

Introduction

Writing is similar to one’s hobbies; once you master it, you no longer have to give hard

thought to it. Such templates (first mentioned in the preface) help a student master writing. The
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templates allow one to understand how to engage in critical thinking. The most important

template of the book is the “they say/I say” template, as it aids a person in creating his/her own

statement in response to another’s. To give own’s own idea, one must present the other side’s

idea. As a result, it will replicate a conversation, which generates a stronger argument. In order to

respond to another, one’s own ideas need to be logical and address the other party. If the “I say”

doesn’t address the “they say”, then the argument will not make sense. There are two ways of

expressing one’s own ideas, they are explicitly and implicitly. In explicit, the writer addresses

both the “they say” and the “I say” in their argument. On the other hand, using the template

implicitly, would make one assume or infer what the writer is saying in response to other’s

views. The authors also state that there are many different ways to respond to the “they say”. The

simple method is to state that you agree or disagree. While another method is to avoid agreeing

or disagreeing and complicating the argument by adding conditions such as “I have mixed

feelings about it” (9). The template can be adjusted by adding further details to both parts and

lengthening it. While some believe templates demote creativity, the authors of the book disagree.

They believe the templates help one to become a great writer, more creative, and original. They

also state that the use of the template isn’t plagiarism at practice, as it is a formula that is used to

create an answer.

Chapter 1

A person’s writing needs to have purpose. It must identify what his/her own point is, and

also what the point is responding to. To keep the readers engaged, the author must first explain

what they are responding to. The writer must giver context t by explaining the situation, the other

party’s points, and finally his/her own response. Failing to address the situation will result in a
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loss in the audience. Hence the reason the authors advice to create a conversation, as it will allow

for a simple yet creative way of crafting an argument. When stating with the “they say, I say”

template, a writer shouldn’t begin by addressing all other views at once with a summary, as it

will lose the audience. One thing that can be done is using a quote from the other side regarding

the situation. This may capture the attention of the audience, as it will not lose them from going

into lengthy detail. Another method the writer should use is to keep the beginning simple with

introducing a short idea of the other side’s overall point. For example, the writer should state a

standard idea of what others believe. Having a standard view is simple yet effective and popular.

Another method is to start by presenting the views as your own, as shown in “I used to believe

that…” A writer can also imply the point instead of stating it is. This can be done by saying

“While many do not state it…” In arguments with giant debates, the writer should open by

summarizing the points from each of the other views. The authors also claim that even when

stating the “I say”, you should always go back to the “they say”.

Chapter 2

Knowing how to summarize the “they say” is key to creating a strong and effective

argument. A writer should balance their summary of what the other says with what he/she has to

say. To writer a summary, the writer cannot be subjective. The writer must place themselves in

the other person position and summarize what they are stating. Failing to take another’s spot will

create bias arguments that diminish the credibility of the writer. When summarizing, it doesn’t

mean one should completely forget their side to the argument. A writer should always have sight

of their argument, and steer towards it while summarizing what the other says objectively.

Another tip when summarizing is to mention all of the reasons that the other makes. A writer
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should state all points instead of focusing on only one aspect. A writer should also avoid using

simple words when stating what the other is saying. Instead of writing “he believes”, the author

should be more create and write “he strongly insists”. While having a balance to the argument is

important, the exception to the rule is satirical summarizing. In it a writer intentionally gives

his/her views to reveal a defect to the other’s argument.

Chapter 3

Another method besides simply summarizing what another says is to quote their

argument. Quoting creates credibility and makes your summary reliable and accurate. The main

trouble with quoting is that the writer often believes the meaning behind it to be obvious. Due to

the lack of an explanation to the quote, the reader may have trouble understanding what the

writer is stating. When selecting quotes, one must choose appropriate quotes that give meaning

to the summary. The writer should never put quotes, simply to make it seem more elaborate of a

summary. A quote should be introduced instead of simply placed in a summary. The writer

should introduce the quote in effective ways such as “According to…” or “_____ claims…” A

quote should never be introduced with repetitive phrases such as “_____ gives the quote…” Such

introductions are unnecessary, as the reader will know that it is quote and it doesn’t need to be

stated. Afterwards that quote should be given an explanation if it isn’t logical such as “In other

words _____ claims…” A writer should aim to give a solid explanation that goes into depth on

the quote. The writer should be more explicit than to leave anything completely unanswered.

Another method of placing quotes is to mix the quotes with your own summary. To blend quotes,

the entire line shouldn’t be used, but rather small fragments. Blending the quotes will remove the
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need for introduction to the quote with “According to…” Instead the quote will seem natural and

integrated with your own words of the summary.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 teaches the writer how to respond with the “I say”. There are three main ways

of responding including agreeing, disagreeing, and responding with a combination of both. The

writer should not take long to declare their position or else they may lose their audience. The

authors advocate taking one of three positions as it will make your argument more complex and

subtle. A writer should never give facts and reasons straight ahead without first stating their

position. Giving your position will allow the reader to understand and grasp your statements.

Disagreeing is often regarded as one of the simplest methods to generate an essay, however it

does have its challenges. When disagreeing you must also persuade the audience to believe you

over the other person. Without persuasion and an explanation, your argument doesn’t contribute

anything new. Another way of disagreeing is called the “duh” move, in which you explain that

the position taken isn’t anything new, but rather obvious. Another method of disagreeing allows

a person to disagree with the evidence and assert that the evidence actually supports your

position. Agreeing with the person can also have its hidden challenges. With agreeing you must

support your position with proper reasoning rather than simply stating where you stand. Even

when agreeing you should provide a new perspective to support why you agree with the person.

You can support the person with a new perspective and added information and reasons. You can

also agree by disproving the opposition and explaining their inconsistencies. The last method is

to agree and disagree with the person. In this method you can come to a middle ground and

negotiate. As the writer you state where the person may be correct and where his/her argument
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falls short. In this method you can lean more on side than the other and explain the reason behind

your slight favorability.

Chapter 5

The reader should be able to differentiate what you say with what they say. Allowing the

reader to know what ideas are from whom removes confusion from the argument. To remove

such confusion the writer should use templates that explicitly state who is saying what. For

example a writer can use the template “I believe _____” or “_____ states ______”. While some

may avoid using the first-person, it can allow for more well supported arguments. Also avoiding

the first-person can create trouble with differentiating from the “they say”. Instead of

continuously stating who is saying what, you can also embed the speaker into the line. Doing so

will take less time and create less interruptions. For example, you can use the template “_____

overlooks what I consider an important point…”

Chapter 6

When crafting the “I say” you must also anticipate objection to your position. Addressing

what others may say in response to your position strengthens the writer’s argument. By doing so

you are engaging in a conversation and addressing any criticism, thus enhancing your credibility.

By answering any criticism, it produces an argument that is well thought out and less refutable.

When a writer doesn’t address any objections it also makes him/her appear closed minded.

Methods to integrate a naysayer includes using templates such as “While some may object

claiming ____”. As demonstrated in the example, the writer should not give a label to an entire

group to avoid stereotyping. Instead of saying “all”, the writer can say “some”. There are also
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other more informal ways of introducing naysayers, such as formatting it as a question. For

example, a writer may ask “Is my approach to _____ attainable?” While this method is informal,

it replicates the doubt that the opposition may display. After presenting the opposition, the writer

must fairly demonstrate its complete view. By doing so, it prevents your writing from being

“narrow-eyed”. After presenting any objections, you must also respond to it thoughtfully. As a

result, your argument will be stronger and more convincing. With any counter argument, the

writer can either agree and provide further reasons that favor his/her view, object to the

opposition by thorough explanation, or agree to part of it and refute others.

Chapter 7

In your writing, you must engage with the reader to keep them intrigued. This can be

accomplished by answering the question of “who cares?” A writer can do this by first stating a

former belief or idea, then stating the newly formulated idea. The authors demonstrate this with

the example “______ used to believe _______. But recent studies suggest _________.” The

writer should be specific about who the topic addresses to and what it is saying. The next

question the writer should address is “So what?” Answering this question requires the writer to

think about the big picture and the consequences of the claim. This should create an impact that

affects the reader, for example obesity destroying physical and mental health. The writer can

state that “obesity is an important condition that must be treated because it can destroy the

livelihood of an individual”, or “Ultimately, obesity creates many lasting stakes on individuals

including _____.” The writer should always go as far as possible to answer questions that the

reader may have regarding the importance of the topic. The best way to craft an argument is to

address all questions explicitly for a clear understanding of the purpose.