PUTTING SCHOLARS IN CONVERSATION
Sentence Templates for the Literature Review
Possible Topic Sentences
o Scholars ________, __________, and ___________ each
discuss/examine/consider _________ in their recent work on (topic) .
o ________ is another major issue common to several treatments of (topic).
Specifically, ________ seems to feel…..
o A trend in research on and discussion of (topic) is _______.
Defining terms
o (scholar) defines (term) as “-------------------”(#).
o Though (term) is a common trend, (scholar) and (scholar) define the term
differently. While (scholar) asserts _______, (scholar) asserts________.
o As it is used in this particular vein of discourse, (term) clearly refers to _______.
Introducing quotations and/or paraphrases (DESCRIPTION)
o According to (scholar), “--------“(#).
o (scholar) claims that __________(#).
o (scholar) argues _______________(#).
o (scholar) observes that ________(#).
Explaining quotations and/or paraphrases (ANALYSIS)
o In other words, (scholar) believes _________.
o Basically, (scholar) is saying that ________.
o The essence of (scholar)’s argument is that_________.
o (scholar)’s point is that_________.
Putting quotations and/or paraphrases in conversation (SYNTHESIS)
o (scholar) seems to agree when he/she writes “-----------“(#).
o (scholar) disagrees; he/she claims that __________(#).
o (scholar) takes the implications of (scholar)’s argument a step further when he/she
writes “-------------“(#)
Commenting on/clarifying the conversation (META-COMMENTARY)
o One implication of (scholar)’s treatment/definition of _____ is that _____.
o Although (scholar) and (scholar) do not say so directly, their perspectives rely
upon the assumption that ________.
o Although (scholar) barely mentions _____, (scholar) and (scholar) emphasize the
issue; they apparently believe that it is important to take into consideration.
o (scholar) claims seem to assume that ______, while (scholar) makes a different
assumption, namely _________.
Templates based on examples from:
Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: the Moves That Matter in
Academic Writing. New York: Norton (2006).