I Say – The Second Step First, Choose three points you want to address from Wallace’s speech. (I highly advise choosing the last point – awareness and consciousness – but the other two or up to you.) Second, Put them in order of importance (Most important should go last) Third, Decide whether you agree, disagree, or both – This will be the focus of your argument. Fourth, Choose three sources from our readings last week as EVIDENCE to supplement your argument. (Sedaris, Hazlitt, Porter, Sontag, etc.) You should choose an academic argument here – hence a strong, respected essay. Fifth, Compile a list of EXAMPLES you can use to make your argument stronger. Examples can be: Personal experience, Observation, Readings (think about fiction from class), Current Events, Historical Events, Anecdotes, Parables, Etc… (This is where you can be more personal and less academic with your example) Step One: Choose ONE of three options 1. 2. 3. 1. Disagree and Explain Why a. If you choose this option use three sentences from number one Agree – But With A Difference a. If you choose this option use three sentences from number two Agree and Disagree Simultaneously a. If you choose this option choose two sentences (from number one or two. Not both). b. Choose one sentence from number three Disagree and Explain Why a. You cannot simply assert that you disagree b. Offer persuasive reasons WHY you disagree Templates for disagreeing, with Reasons X is mistake because she overlooks ______________________________________. X’s claim that _______________ rests upon the questionable assumptions that ______________________________________. I disagree with X’s view that ______________________________________ because, as recent research has shown, ______________________________________. X contradicts herself/can’t have it both ways. On the one hand she argues ______________________________________. On the other hand, she also says ______________________________________. By focusing on ______________________________________, X overlooks the deeper problem of ______________________________________. 2. Agree but with a difference a. Don’t just echo summaries you agree with b. Bring something new and fresh Templates for Agreeing I agree that ______________________ because my experience ____________________ confirms it. X is surely right about ______________________________________ because as she may not be aware, recent studies have shown that ___________________________________. X’s theory of ______________________________________ is extremely useful because it sheds 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 believe ______________________________________. If group X is right that _____________________________________, as I think they are, then we need to reassess the popular assumption _______________________________. 3. Agreeing and disagreeing simultaneously a. Gives your argument depth b. Gives your reader a clear, but sophisticated framework. Although I agree with X up to a point, I cannot accept his overall conclusion that __________________________________. Although I disagree with much that X says, I fully endorse his final conclusion that __________________________________. Though I concede that __________________________________, I still insist that __________________________________. Whereas X provides ample evidence that __________________________________, Y and Z’s research on __________________________________ and __________________________________ convinces me that _____________________________ instead. X is right that __________________________________, but she seems on more dubious ground when she claims that __________________________________. While X is probably wrong when she claims that __________________________ she is right 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 __________________________________. My feelings on the issue are mixed. I do support X’s position that __________________________________, but I find Y’s argument about __________________________________ and Z’s research on __________________________________ to be equally persuasive. Step Two: Add secondary commentary. a. After you have your main point (listed above), Introduce secondary commentary (one of the other sources we read). b. Give the author’s name and the title of the essay used. 1. 2. Include a transition from Comparison and Contrast Transitions Choose one of the following: In her essay, __________________________________, Y argues__________________. According to Y, in his book, __________________________________, __________________________________. Many authors including Y, in her essay, ___________________________, will tell you __________________________________. Step Three: Summarize your source’s main point that backs your first claim (whether or not you disagree with Wallace’s point). 1. Use the verbs to introduce summaries (and quotations) Verbs for expressing agreement (If you agree with Wallace’s point – use this to introduce secondary essay_ Acknowledge Corroborate Admire Do not deny Agree Endorse Celebrate the fact that Extol Verbs for questioning or disagreeing If you disagree with Wallace’s point – use this to introduce secondary essay Complain Deny Complicate Deplore the tendency to Contend Qualify Contradict Question Praise Reaffirm Support Verify Refute Reject Renounce Repudiate Y acknowledges that ______________________________________. Y agrees that ______________________________________. Y denies that ______________________________________. Y questions that ______________________________________. Y denies/does not deny that ______________________________________. Step Four: The Art of Quoting – Add relevant quote to your essay from your new source Templates for introducing quotations X states, “_______________________________________________.” As the prominent _____________________ puts it, ____________________________________.” According to X, “_______________________________________________.” In her book (essay, film, etc.) ____________________________, X maintains that “_______________________________________________.” Writing in the ____________________, X complains that “____________________________.” In X’s view “_______________________________________________.” X agrees when she writes “_______________________________________________.” X disagrees when she writes “_______________________________________________.” X complicates matters further when she writes “__________________________.” Templates for explaining quotations Basically X is warning ______________________________________. In other words, X believes ______________________________________. In making this comment, X urges us to ______________________________________. X is corroborating the old-age adage that ______________________________________. X’s point is that ______________________________________. The essence of X’s argument is that ______________________________________. Verbs for making a claim Argue Assert Believe Claim Emphasize Insist Observe Remind us Report Suggest Verbs for making recommendations Advocate Call for Demand Encourage Exhort Implore Plead Recommend Urge Warn Step Five: Use your own example Give a specific example of your point in practice. This is where you should incorporate your experiences. 1. CHOOSE OWN EXAMPLE For example, __________________________________. Consider, __________________________________. As an illustration, ______________________________. To put it another way, ______________________________. To take a case in point, __________________________________. For instance, __________________________________. Specifically, __________________________________. Accordingly, __________________________________. As a result, __________________________________. Consequently, __________________________________. Hence, __________________________________. Along the same lines, __________________________________. In the same way, __________________________________. Likewise, __________________________________. In short, __________________________________. 2. Explain how example connects In other words, ______________________________. My conclusion then, is that ______________________________. What I mean by this ______________________________. Ultimately, ______________________________. Thus, ______________________________. In other words, ______________________________. After all, ______________________________. Step Six: Conclude Paragraph Write one final sentence that concludes your paragraph. Summing up why you agree or disagree with the point you chose. As a result, __________________________________. Consequently, __________________________________. Hence, __________________________________. In conclusion, then __________________________________. In short, __________________________________. In sum, then __________________________________. It follows, then __________________________________. So, __________________________________. The upshot of all this is that __________________________________. Therefore, __________________________________. Thus, __________________________________. To sum up, __________________________________. To summarize, __________________________________. Step Seven: Move on to second paragraph. Choose an appropriate transition and begin again. Transitions Also And Besides Addition Furthermore In addition In fact Indeed Moreover So too Actually By extension In short Elaboration That is In other words To put it another way To put it bluntly To put it succinctly Ultimately After all As an illustration Consider Example For example For instance Specifically Accordingly As a result Consequently Cause and Effect Hence It follows, then Since Along the same lines In the same way Likewise Similarly Although But By contrast Conversely Despite Even though Contrast However In contrast Nevertheless Nonetheless On the contrary On the other hand Admittedly Although it is true that Granted Concession I concede that Of course Naturally As a result Consequently Hence In conclusion, then In short In sum, then It follows, then So To take a case in point So then Therefore Thus Comparison Regardless Whereas While Yet To be sure Conclusion The upshot of all this is that Therefore Thus to sum up To summarize