The First Day, of the Rest of Your Life

The Introduction Paragraph: Entering the Academic

Conversation

How We Enter the Conversation: The Lunch Table Analogy

“They Say”

Who are “They?”

School

BoardParents

ScientistsAuthor’s

Journalists

Critics

Example

Some school officials, such as Head of King’s College School Andrew Halls, say that social media causes students to live lives that are under constant scrutiny leading to negative perceptions of themselves, however, I argue that social media can be empowering for a young adult.

1.) In this thesis, what is the “they say” part of the argument?

2.) In this thesis statement, what is the “I say” part of the argument?

Examples:

“You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations” –Martin Luther King Jr. from Birmingham Jail

• What is the “they say”?• What is the “I say”?

Adding a “They Say” To Our Writing

The following statements all lack a “They Say.” Work on your own or in pairs to re-write the statements with a “they say.” If you finish, write your own statement with a “they say” and “I say.”

Statement 1

“I Say”:

Romeo and Juliet is a movie about the dangers of abusing power.

Helpful Templates:

• “When I was a child, I used to think that _______, but after reading Romeo and Juliet as a teenager ________

• “At the same time that I believe_______, I also believe______”

• “Conventional wisdom has it that Romeo and Juliet is about ______, however, I believe it to be about______”

Statement 2

I say:

I am afraid that school uniforms will stifle personal expression.

Helpful Templates

• “When I was a child, I used to think that _______, but after reading extensively on the subject, I believe school uniforms________.”

• “At the same time that I believe_______, I also believe______.”

• “Conventional wisdom has it that school uniforms would ______, however, I believe they would________.”

“I Say”

…So…what DO I say?

Three Ways of Responding to what They Say:

“Yes/No/Okay, but”

“Yes”: Agreeing with a difference

Example

Ex: I agree with the district’s decision to not have school on Monday due to the hazardous conditions the snow would have presented to school bus drivers, but also because of the hazard it would have presented students who walk to school.

Templates-I agree that_______

because my experience_____confirms it.

-X is surely right about_______ because, as she may not be aware, recent studies have shown ________

-I agree that ______, a point that needs emphasizing since so many people believe _______

PromptThrough studies

done at the University of Counting Sheep, Dr. Nidsleep has found that student performance would improve if high schools implemented a later start time.

“No”

So you disagree huh? Very well, but you have to tell your reader WHY you disagree.

-I think that X is mistaken because she overlooks_______.

-I disagree with X’s view that ____ because, as recent research has shown, ______

-By focusing on______, X overlooks the deeper problem of_____.

-X claims that ______ rests upon the questionable assumption that _____.

PromptMs. Proper, head of the Oregon City School District, is advocating for a school district wide implementation of uniforms for every student.

“Yes, but…”

There may be times when you agree with part of an argument, but disagree with another part.

Example

They SayRachel Frederickson, latest winner of the Biggest Loser and who started the competition weighing 206 pounds, lost 115 pounds, her weight loss being a clear indicator of improved health.

Yes, But:Though I agree that weight loss is typically an indicator of improved health, I still insist that being underweight poses as much of a threat to one’s health as being overweight does.

PracticeTemplates

-While X is probably wrong when she claims that_______, she is right that______.

-Although I disagree with much of what Mr.H says, I fully endorse his final conclusion that_____.

-I’m of two minds about X’s claim that _____. On the one hand, I agree that ____. On the other hand, I’m not sure if_____.

PromptDue to the

constant distraction from studies that cell phone use causes students, all high school campus should “black out” cell phone signals on campus and block student access to Wifi in order to help students focus on classroom material and instruction.

Review

• “They Say”

• “I Say” (three ways of respond to them)

Warning!!!

We are about to go deep into essay writing and we are going to cover a lot of material. Please raise your hand with questions when needed and I will do my best to explain everything as clearly as possible as we go. Lets. Do. This.

“They Say, I Say”: Looking closely at introduction paragraphs

Introduction Paragraphs

Should• Include a “they say”• Include an “I say”• Should state your

argument/purpose of your paper

Should Not• Begin to provide

evidence for your argument

• Should not include in depth summary of any of the pieces

Introduction Paragraph Example #1

Introduction Paragraph Ex: #2

Using “They Say, I Say” in body paragraphs

Body Paragraphs…Whatcha doin?

Should:

-Topic Sentence

-Include textual evidence (They say)

-Explanation of Evidence (I say)

-Concluding sentence

Should Not:

-Include more than one idea

-be mostly summary

Topic Sentence

-First sentence of the paragraph

-Tells the reader what the paragraph is going to be about

-Think of it as the thesis of the paragraph

Topic Sentence Example

“One reason that having a baby is an important part of life is the happiness that it can bring to the lives of its parents...”

Evidence

• Helps support your argument

• If you are writing on a book or article, evidence will be quotes from the source

• This is our “They Say”

Example of Evidence:

One reason that having a baby is an important part of life is the happiness that it can bring to the lives of its parents. In a study by Dr.Babyzurasome, he found that “…parents, who were 26 years of age or older, of newborns were on average 44% happier than before having their baby.”

Explanation of Evidence

-Used to show reader how the evidence provided supports the argument

-allows reader a chance to express their opinion

-Tell them what you told them

Example of Explanation

One reason that having a baby is an important part of life is the happiness that it can bring to the lives of its parents. In a study by Dr.Babyzurasome, he found that “…parents, who were 26 years of age or older, of newborns were on average 44% happier than before having their baby.” Based on this data, people who are old enough to have babies responsibly, experience increases in happiness.

Concluding Sentence

-Relate the paragraph back to the general argument

Example of Concluding Sentence

One reason that having a baby is an important part of life is the happiness that it can bring to the lives of its parents. In a study by Dr.Babyzurasome, he found that “…parents, who were 26 years of age or older, of newborns were on average 44% happier than before having their baby.” Based on this data, people who are old to have babies responsibly, experience increases in happiness. This is just one benefit of experiencing the miracle of parenthood.

Using Quotations (Textual Evidence) Effectively

Make sure you are Quoting Relevant Quotations

Example #1

Taylor Swift explained her questionable dancing skills at the 2014 Grammy’s by saying, “this album was some of my most personal work.”

Example #2

In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald seems to suggest an inferiority regarding the place of women through his character Daisy who, at one point, mentions that the best thing a girl can grow up to become is a “beautiful little fool” (21).

Make Sure You Are Framing Quotations

The Quote Burger

It is important that every quote is introduced by a statement that gives it some context and is followed by a statement that explains the quote and why it was used. Think of it like this…

“Quote Sandwich/Burger”

Statement introducing the quote

Quote

Statement explaining the relevancy of the quote

Example #1: A Quote Sandwich

Miss Watson is a very pious character in the novel Huckleberry Finn. An example of this is when she describes smoking as being “…a mean practice” and saying that it “wasn’t clean” (2). Smoking is an act of the common folk and Miss Watson’s disapproval of Huck smoking reveals her desire for him to live in accordance to a higher and more pious moral code.

Don’t Be a “Hit-and-Run” Quoter

Example of a “Hit-and-Run” Quote

Susan Bordo writes about women and dieting. “Fiji is just one example. Until television was introduced in 1995, the islands had no reported cases of eating disorders. In 1998, three years after programs from the United States and Britain began broadcasting there, 62 percent of the girls surveyed reported dieting.”

I think Bordo is right. Another point Bordo makes is that…

Bordo Revised: Good Example of Quoting

The feminist philosopher Susan Bordo deplores Western media obsession with female thinness and dieting. Her basic complaint is that increasing numbers of women across the globe are being led to see themselves as fat and in need of a diet. Citing the islands of Fiji as a case in point, Bordo notes that “until television was introduced in 1995, the islands had no reported cases of eating disorders. In 1998, three years after the program from the United States and Britain began broadcasting there, 62 percent of the girls surveyed reported dieting” (149-50). Bordo’s point is that the western cult of dieting is spreading even to remote places across the globe. Ultimately, Bordo complains, the culture of dieting will find you, regardless of where you live.

Templates to Help YouMr. Gatsby writes, “……….” which exemplifies _____, because…..

In The Great Gatsby, one theme Twain presents is______. One example of this can be seen when Huck says, “.…” or in other words…

F. Scott Fitgerald writes that “……”

“After quote.” In this example, it is clear Mark Twain is arguing…

“After Quote.” By having (insert character) say this, Twain is commenting on the idea….

Activity!

Directions After Reading:

1.) Identify at least one “They Say”2.) Identify at least one “I Say”3.) Identify at least one Topic Sentence4.) Identify at least one statement that

introduces a quote5.) Identify at least one example of “hit and

run” quote6.) Identify at least one statement that

explains the relevancy of a quote

Group Essay Writing

Take 5-7 minutes to take out and read the introduction to your papers. Underline the “they say” part of the paragraph and circle the “I say” part of the paragraph. Do not have a “they say,” “I say,” or both? It is okay! Make a note of it on your paper, when we get a chance to edit, you will be able to rework your paragraph so that it has both.

Caution! Caution! Caution!

The “They Say, I Say” aspect of our paper is not only essential to the our first paragraph/thesis, it is essential to our paper as whole; throughout your paper you should be citing the arguments of others in order to orient your own.