Respond to “Starting With What Others Say” from They Say/I Say
Finding an author’s perspective can be difficult. It essential that authors get across their point and maybe even why they hold that opinion. This isn’t true in all writing of course because sometimes there is no point to be disputed, but nevertheless, the main idea of an author’s work should be clear to the reader. This also is important from a writer’s perspective. They way we portray ourselves is solely out of how well we come across as a writer. Specifically, when we reference one another that’s when it’s important to step back and recognize what they say before what I say. Authors Cathy Birkenstein and Gerald Graff speak briefly about what it is to reference they before referencing your own opinion, “remember that you are entering a conversation and therefore need to start with ‘what others are saying’ as the title of this chapter recommends, and then introduce your own ideas as a response. Specifically, we suggest that you summarize what ‘they say’ as soon as you can in your text,” (Birkenstein and Graff 21) It seems so simple, yet it can be very complicated to thoroughly understand how to introduce them before you introduce your own solid opinion. Birkenstein and Graff go on to say, “After summarizing the ideas you are responding to at the outset, it’s very important to continue to keep those ideas in view.” (Birkenstein and Graff 27) Through argumentative or informative essays it’s essential to keep in mind what the author you’re referencing has as an overall opinion and how that is going to credit your own. All in all, Birkenstein and Graff provide many options on how to introduce the they in your essays on a situational basis. I personally have never really struggled with speaking about what they say, but I also haven’t had the most of the experience with writing academically in that context. These examples give me a solid view of what to expect when writing in many different outlets.
