PART 2: Chapters 4-5Moving from “They Say” to “I Say”

Chapter 4: Three Ways of Responding

“YES”: Agree“NO”: Disagree“OKAY, BUT…”: Agree and Disagree Simultaneously

“When writers take too long to declare their position relative to views they’ve summarized or quoted, readers get frustrated, wondering, “Is this guy agreeing or disagreeing? Is he for what this other person said, against it, or what?” (57).

Take home lesson: MAKE YOUR BASIC STANCE CLEAR IN YOUR THESIS STATEMENT!

Disagree—and explain why…

Hidden challenges:Can’t just contradict, have to give persuasive reasons WHY you disagreeMere contradiction “fails to add anything interesting or new. To turn it into an argument, you need to give reasons to support what you say: because it is based on faulty or incomplete evidence; because it uses flawed logic, is contradictory, or overlooks what you take to be the real issue” (59).Avoid abusive tone and disagree in “frank but considerate ways” (61).

Agree—but with a difference

Hidden challenge is differentiating yourself from those you agree with:

Don’t just echo views of othersMust add something new and fresh, “adding something that makes you a valuable participant in the conversation” (61).“In other words, your text can contribute to the conversation simply by pointing out unnoticed implications or explaining something that needs to be better understood” (62).

Some Ways to Agree with a Difference

From They Say/I Say, p. 62

“Yes and No”: Agreeing and Disagreeing Simultaneously

Probably most common way of respondingClarity is key, can often be achieved through a parallel structure

“On the one hand I agree… on the other hand I disagree…”

Permits spectrum of possible responses:Mostly agreeing = “Yes, but…”Mostly disagreeing = “No, but…”

Possible thesis: X’s research promising but flawed; more work/studies/revision needed to make his claims truly convincing.

Yikes… What if you just can’t make up your mind?

The perils of indecision:On the one hand, “ambivalence can frustrate readers, leaving them with the feeling that you failed in your obligation to offer the guidance they expect from writers” (67).On the other hand, “acknowledging that a clear-cut resolution of an issue is impossible can demonstrate your sophistication as a writer” (67).What’s a writer to do?

IF YOU ADOPT THIS STANCE, be very careful to demonstrate that the evidence and arguments pull powerfully in both directions.

Chapter 5: Distinguishing What You Say from What They Say

“If good academic writing involves putting yourself into dialogue with others, it is extremely important that readers be able to tell at every point when you are expressing your own view and when you are stating someone else’s” (68).Use VOICE MARKERS

OVERT: “X argues,” “X’s assertion that…,” “In my view,” “I maintain”

EMBEDDED: “I have a problem with what liberals call cultural differences.”“There is a major problem with the liberal creed of so-called cultural differences.”

But I’ve Been Told Not to Use “I”

Total avoidance can lead to unnatural, stilted phrasings:

“It is the argument of the author of this paper..”

vs.“In this paper, I will argue…”

Use, but don’t overuseOveruse undercuts objectivityOccasional use establishes a connection with your readers

Everyone loves a good argument…

Image from Monty Python’s “Argument Clinic” (youtube)