Notes on They Say, I Say: Templates, Summaries, and Essay Openings

Core Themes

  • Respect disagreement and then move on to your own opinion. Disagreement can feel like an attack on our existence (race, gender, sexuality, etc.), so we may resist ideas that threaten our identity and may use language that erases others as a defense.
  • Aim for a constructive conversation rather than a heated argument; not all disagreements have solutions, so be prepared to leave with your own stance and move to the next topic.
  • Use arguments as a process: have a clear point, provide a larger context, and be mindful of when to engage versus when to step away.

Writing framework: they say / I say templates

  • Core purpose: to present what others say (they say) and then offer your own interpretation or counterpoint (I say).
  • You should still convey your own position strongly and clearly, rather than letting the paper devolve into a summary of others.
  • The templates are tools, not cages: you can be creative within or beyond templates (begin with a story, personal experience, or a strong hook).
  • Common openings include starting with a story, a debate, a fact, an illustrative quotation, or a striking statistic.
  • The templates help manage the structure of your argument, but you should not rely on them to the point of stifling originality.

Examples of opening strategies

  • Story hook: begin with a personal or anecdotal narrative to engage readers (e.g., an ancestor’s story when writing about the American dream).
  • Debates: present the central disagreement early to frame your stance.
  • Facts/Statistics: anchor your opening with data to ground the argument.
  • Quotations: use a meaningful quotation to contextualize the discussion.

The American dream example (personal storytelling as hook)

  • The instructor shares starting a paper with a personal story about a great grandmother who became a widow at age 30 to connect to contemporary U.S. experiences.
  • The goal is to hook readers and then reflect on how the story informs your view of the American dream.

The danger of over-reliance on templates

  • Critics argue templates limit creativity; the response is that templates can coexist with creativity when used flexibly.
  • Begin your own story to inject originality and voice while using templates to structure the argument.

Role of hooks and transitions

  • Hooks (e.g., story, debate, fact, quotation) attract readers and set up the essay’s purpose.
  • Transitions are essential for formal writing; writing differs from everyday speech, which makes transitions crucial for logical flow.
  • The class emphasizes moving beyond “they say” to develop a cohesive argument with clear progression.

Reading and annotation habits

  • Annotation is recommended: question, underline, and write marginal notes to deepen understanding.
  • The instructor’s note on annotation highlights its value for following arguments and preparing for discussion.

The chapter’s end-of-chapter exercise (practice with templates)

  • Exercise (page 28): students write a sentence or two for each topic using templates to create an argument.
  • Pair work: discuss which templates were used, and what kind of their sentence structure looked like.
  • Example topics debated by students include topics like free college tuition and public universities; and teenagers using social media.

Examples of “they say” sentences (practice sentences)

  • Example 1 (tuition):
    • "When it comes to the topic of free college tuition at public universities, most of us would readily agree that tuition should be covered at public institutions; however, the disagreement centers on cost versus economic debt, with some arguing the government should provide free tuition while others maintain the government should address outstanding debts first."
  • Example 2 (social media):
    • "When it comes to the topic of teenagers using social media, most of us would readily agree that there should be more parental supervision; where disagreement ends is whether the kid is merely rebellious or genuinely need guidance, with some arguing strict monitoring is necessary and others deem it an abuse of autonomy."

They say / I say in practice: building complex sentences

  • Some students wrote longer, embedded, I say statements that still foreground the they say component before the I say response.
  • Others used shorter templates, illustrating a spectrum from complex to concise sentences.

Listing versus flowing prose

  • Listing (first, second, third, …) can be clear but risks monotony in a paragraph.
  • Use transitions to connect points for a smoother read; avoid mechanically enumerating each point.
  • Paragraph headings and integrated clauses can provide effective listings without the sentence-start pattern.
  • In some genres (pamphlets, quick-reference documents), bullet points or bullet-like listings are appropriate; in formal essays, integrated transitions are preferred.

Summary writing: what makes a good summary

  • A good summary should capture both the author’s intention and what interests you personally; you try to see the author's argument from the author’s perspective (the "believing game").
  • Avoid distorting the author’s point: summarize rather than quote; know when you are paraphrasing and when you are quoting.
  • The chapter emphasizes distancing oneself from personal beliefs to understand the author’s intent before converging on your own stance.

Closet Cliché Syndrome and nuance

  • Be wary of over-simplified phrases like 'getting along' and similar clichés that flatten complex arguments.
  • Kenneth Goldsmith’s essay is used as an example to show how summarizing an argument too simplistically can distort the original nuance (the internet debate example).
  • The danger: reducing an argument to a simple endorsement or condemnation rather than acknowledging its complexity.

Signal verbs for introducing summaries and quotations

  • The chapter discusses using signal verbs to introduce summaries and quotations (examples appear on 42–44):
    • "claims", "argues", "states", "maintains", "concludes", "notes", "suggests", "emphasizes", "illustrates", etc.
  • These verbs help signal the relationship between the source and your analysis and guide the reader through the argument.

Classroom culture and practice expectations

  • The instructor promotes a safe, participatory environment where students share thoughts and discuss templates.
  • Voluntary participation is encouraged; students can opt out if uncomfortable with public speaking.
  • The class covers formal and informal genres; templates are used for structure in formal writing (e.g., liberal arts education essays, college essays) while informal writing (cultural identity papers) may require more flexible language.

Page references and reminders

  • Revisit page 21 for cautions about focusing too much on what others have said rather than presenting your own argument.
  • Page 20–21 reiterates the main ideas about argument structure and balance between 'they say' and 'I say'.
  • Page 28 features the exercise described above.
  • Page 34 discusses Closet Cliché Syndrome with concrete examples.
  • Page 37 emphasizes that summaries can either inventory points or cohere around a larger claim; the latter is preferred.
  • Page 38 discusses listing and transitions in more depth.
  • Pages 42–44 cover signal verbs for summaries and quotations.

Practical takeaways for exam prep

  • Always establish a clear point and a broader context in your writing.
  • Use a hook to engage the reader, then connect the hook to your argument with a coherent chain of reasoning.
  • Employ the they say / I say framework to acknowledge opposing views while presenting your stance.
  • Use a variety of openings (story, debate, fact, quotation) to avoid repetitiveness.
  • Annotate readings to deepen understanding and prepare for discussion and writing tasks.
  • Practice with exercises to build fluency in applying templates without losing voice.
  • Be mindful of over-reliance on templates; balance structure with personal voice and nuance.
  • When summarizing, aim to reflect the author’s intent and weave your interpretation through the central claim; avoid Closet Cliché Syndrome.

Key formulas and ideas to memorize (LaTeX)

  • Central idea:
    • ext{They say: } A ext{; I say: } B where A is the author’s claim and B is your response.
  • Complex opening templates often used:
    • ext{Topic: } T, ext{ most of us would agree that } X; ext{ the disagreement lies in } Y.
  • Signal verbs starter examples (for introductions):
    • \text{The author \textit{argues} that } A, \text{ but I contend that } B.
  • Summary goal:
    • \text{Summarize the author's intention while suspending your own beliefs (the believing game) to understand the text.}