"They Say, I Say"

Chapter 1 “They Say”

All writing needs to develop a clear thesis, or point, in order to be effective. Without this thesis, the writing becomes an extensive rambling in which no one is sure what is really going on. Thusly the claim needs to be made early in order to ensure your audience is following. Introducing the ideas of others, challenging widely held beliefs, presenting ideas as your own, stating implications, presenting both sides of the argument (such as in a debate), and reminding your audience what you’re referring to all aid in keeping clear what your thesis is about.

Chapter 2 “Her Point Is”

There is a fine line between not enough summary and too much. Good summarization requires balancing what the original author says with the new writer’s focus. Summaries must be presented as unbiased otherwise it could jeopardize credibility. However, it is important to maintain your agenda while still being true about the text being referenced. Satirical summaries aim to point out glaring absurdity by putting a specific spin on the idea, emphasizing the weak points of the argument. It is important in introducing an idea that the verb matches the original author’s views. This will help maintain your flow and keep the true meaning of the referenced material in light.

Chapter 3 “As He Himself Puts It”

Quoting serves as an establishment of credibility. Once again, there is a fine line between quoting too little and quoting too much. A quote never stands alone; they need to be backed up in the context of the writing. Also, they need to be relevant to the view of the writer and they must be presented in a way that makes their relevance clear. In other words, there needs to be an introduction, demonstrating the ethos of the source the quote came from, and a follow up as to how it fits your claim. It is also better to be overly explicit in your explanation than to under represent it and leave the quotation dangling.

Chapter 4 “Yes/No/Okay, But”

This chapter discusses the three ways to write responses: agreeing, disagreeing, or a combination of both. It is critical to determine the position the writer is responding to, as well as the position of the writer. It is not enough to simply agree or disagree with a writer; you have to be able to back it up effectively. Furthermore, you need to add something new to the argument. Fresh perspectives are the fuel of writing. Simultaneous agreement and disagreement allows you to accept or decline part of the presented thesis, but refute the other half at the same time. This demonstrates that “you are not easily satisfied” with taking sides on complex subject matter that may not be well viewed in simple black and white.

Chapter 5 “And Yet”

Throughout a paper, it is important to differentiate between what others are saying vs. what the writer is saying. Transitions can serve as strong signals in clearing up whose ideas belong to whom, as can the presentation of ideas through personal voice. Therefore, the use of the word “I” is not always a terrible thing in writing as it often helps to separate what the writer believes from the opinions of others. Embedding references is another effective way of showing other views, however, it doesn’t interrupt flow.

Chapter 6 “Skeptics May Object”

It is crucial in writing to anticipate the objections of the audience or critics, and be able to refute those criticisms. Not only does this enhance your credibility, it gives more substance to your writing. Refutations ought to be carried out seriously; hasty generalizations and mockery tend to be counterproductive as they alienate the readers whom you are trying to persuade. Answers to objections need to be clear, concise, and thorough in order to maintain your ethos as a writer.

Chapter 7 “So What? Who Cares?”

A thesis does not explain why others should care about what you’re writing about. Instead, it is the body of the text that aims to describe “who cares” and the “so what” aspects of the writing. “Who cares?” targets a specific group or person, while “so what?” is concerned with real-world applications — both of which are important to address early so that others don’t lose interest in what you have to say, and are aware of how it effects them. Linking this to something the targeted group already finds important is most effective at getting and maintaining their attention. The length to which you must explain the “who cares?” and “so what?” is dependant upon who the targeted audience is. If their knowledge is extensive, more can be assumed about what they already know, and fewer of the basic details have to be covered.

Chapter 8 “As a Result”

Good sentence structure has a developed relationship with the sentences around it. Sentences should flow out of one another. Thus it becomes necessary to converse with not only your audience, but also with yourself as you write. Tools to help maintain flow in your paper include: using transitions, adding pointing words, using key words or terms throughout the text, and repetition of ideas. Transitional words serve as a road map to where you are taking your writing. Pointing words refer back to a previously (and recently) mentioned concept. Key terms and repetition serve as reminders as to what the topic is and provides unity to your writing.

Chapter 9 “Ain’t So/Is Not”

Writing, much like speaking, ought to flow naturally. It does not have to contain complicated language in order to be impressive. Personal voice makes for generally easier and more free writing and can effectively communicate a point while adding color to your writing. This is not to say that academic writing should be tossed aside; the level of desired academic writing is more directly effected by the intended audience and purpose of the writing.

Chapter 10 “In Other Words”

Metacommentary is the art of informing readers how, or sometimes how not, to respond to what you’re about to tell, or have told, your audience. Incorporating metacommentary is therefore like having two texts conjoined. One operates in making the argument, while the other serves to credit your ideas and justify your claims. Both parts of the text are necessary for the sake of clarity and the ability to elaborate on the subject. Titles, subtitles, entertaining objections, adding transitions, framing quotations, and answering “so what?” and “who cares?” all function as metacommentary and require careful consideration as they force the writer away from the text and places them in an objective mode of critiquing their own work.