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They Say/I Say Chapter 4
Ink To Ideas (ENG 123)
Savannah College of Art and Design
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CHAPTER 4: THEY I SAY/I SAY “YES/NO/OKAY, BUT” Three ways to respond When writers take too long to declare their position relative to the views they summarized or quoted, readers get frustrated wondering, “is this person agreeing or disagreeing?” It’s always a good tactic to clearly state whether you agree, disagree or both. Readers get a strong grasp of where you stand which’ll help them appreciate the complications you later on go to unfold The best interpretations take strong stands relative to other interpretations In any effective interpretation, you need not only state what you yourself take the work of art to mean but to do so relative to the interpretations of other readers. Disagree - And Explain Why To turn into an argument, you need to give reasons to support what you say: because another’s argument is based on faulty or incomplete evidence; because it rests on questionable assumptions; because it uses flawed logic or contradicts with what you take to be the real issue. The “duh” move – when you disagree on something that was obvious may have been taken as some ground-breaking revelation. If saying “duh” is too colloquial for your intended audience, we can write something like “It is true that __________; but we already knew that.” Templates for disagreeing with reasons X is mistaken because she overlooks _____________. X’s claim view that __________ rests upon the questionable assumption that ___________. I disagree with X’s claim that __________ because, as recent research has shown ___________. X contradicts herself/can’t have it both ways. On one hand, she argues ___________. On the other hand she also says ___________. By focusing on ___________, X overlooks the deeper problem of _____________. You can use the “twist it” move where you agree with the opposing evidence but you show with a twist of logic that this evidence actually supports your claim. X argues for ____________ saying that (evidence). I agree that (evidence) which is exactly why I say the we should _____________ (challenge) Agree But With A Difference When agreeing, bring something new and fresh to the table that makes your contribution relevant to the conversation. There’s many ways to do this such as mentioning something that X claimed but didn’t notice or a line of reasoning that X may not have emphasized enough. If X’s views are challenging, what you can bring to the table is a solid explanation or translation for people who don’t already know this. The important thing is that you open some difference/contrast between your position and the one you’re agreeing with rather than just repeating them. Templates for agreeing I agree that ____________ because my experience at ___________ confirms it. X is sure right about _________ because, as she may not be aware, recent studies have shown that ___________. X’s theory of __________ is extremely useful because it shed light on the difficult problem of ____________. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to __________. I agree that ___________, a point that needs emphasizing since so many people still believe that ___________. If group X is right that ___________, as I think they are, then we need to reassess the popular assumption that __________. Agree and Disagree Simultaneously Done right, this method adds the most credibility to any argument as it exhibits your willing to understand the other viewers point, but when the disagreement is brought to light, and why it is there, the argument winds up bolstered. “Yes and no.” “Yes, but….” “Although I agree up to a point, I still insist …..” – These can make your argument complex and nuanced while maintaining a reader-friendly framework. “On the one hand I agree ____, on the other I disagree ______” enables readers to place your argument on the map whilst maintaining a sufficiently complex argument. Agreeing and disagreeing can still tip an argument towards what you want based on how you voice it. Although I agree with X up to a point, I cannot accept his over-riding assumption that ____________. (shows more disagreement that agreement) Although I disagree with much that X says, I full endorse his final conclusion that __________. Media has grown the flashlight of how far back we can bring a past argument. – The problem is that people miscontextualize some of what was done with the past. Why is anger the feeling conjured up? News targets negative reports Agree, Disagree, Both When you AGREE with someone, you need to expand and build upon that and explain WHY you agree (with a unique term). When you DISAGREE with someone, you need to explain why AND add your perspective/argument When you AGREE and DISAGREE, you’re ENTERING the conversation. You show your openmindedness and that you’re not being a biased monkey.
They Say/I Say Chapter 4
Course: Ink To Ideas (ENG 123)
University: Savannah College of Art and Design
