Note: information is taken from They Say, I Say by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein
Notes on Writing Academic papers
An essential skill in academic writing is to respond to a published source. Essentially
what you are doing is explaining what the source says (“They Say”) and stating your
response to it (“I say”). Sometimes you do this by summarizing and/or paraphrasing
someone else’s argument (and citing it!). Often you choose to quote from that person’s
argument because it gives a great deal of credibility to your summary and makes sure that
it is fair and accurate.
Issues with quoting:

Quote too little (perhaps don’t want to bother to find quotes)

Quote too much (may lack confidence in ability to comment or may not fully
understand quotation)

Assuming that quotes speak for themselves and that you don’t need to
comment/explain.
Important things to do when quoting:
1. Choose quotations wisely, with an eye for how they support a particular point you
are making.
2. Set up every major quotation with a frame that explains:

Whose words these are (where quotes come from)

What the quotation means

How the quotation relates to the point you are making
Templates for introducing quotations:

X states, “not all steroids should be banned from sports.”

As the prominent philosopher X puts it, “__________”

According to X, “__________”

In her book, _________, X maintains that “__________”

Writing in the journal Commentary, X complains that “__________”

In X’s view, “__________”

X agrees when she writes, “__________”

X disagrees when he writes, “__________”

X complicates matters further when she writes, “__________”
Templates for explaining quotations
The one piece of advice about quoting that students say they find most helpful is to get in
the habit of following every major quotation by explaining what it means, using a
template like one of the ones below.

Basically, X is warning that the proposed solution will only make the problem
worse

In other words, X believes….

In making this comment, X urges us to…

X is corroborating the age-old adage that….

X’s point is that ……..

The essence of X’s argument is that …….
Templates for how the quotation relates to the point you are making:
This is the part where you are developing the “I say.” You are explaining what your
ideas are regarding the quote/evidence. This is probably the most important, and possibly
the most difficult, step. You are entering into a conversation with the writer of the quote.
You are explaining how and why you disagree, agree or have a mixed response to his/her
quote.
Templates for disagreeing, with reasons:

X is mistaken because she overlooks recent fossil discoveries in the South.

X’s claim that ___________ rests upon the questionable assumption that
___________.

I disagree with X’s view that ____________ because, as recent research has
shown, ____________.

By focusing on ________________, X overlooks the deeper problem of
___________.
Templates for agreeing (but with a difference – don’t just echo the views, add something)

X is surely right about _______________ because recent studies have shown…

X’s theory of ____________ is extremely useful because it shed light on the
difficult problem of _______________

Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it
basically boils down to _______________.
Templates for agreeing and disagreeing Simultaneously:

Although I disagree with much that X says, I fully endorse his final conclusion
that…

X is right that ____________, but she seems on more dubious ground when she
claims that _____________

Whereas X provides ample evidence that _________, X and Z’s (another source
of information) research on ________________ convinces me that ____________
instead.
The Salem Witch Trials
Website: http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/witch.htm
Donna Campbell, English professor, Washington State University (I learned about the
author/qualifications of the site by clicking on the “about this site” info. at the bottom – which
is one indication that it is a legitimate site)
Who were the witches? Karlsen's demographic analysis of the available data shows that not
those accused but those convicted of witchcraft in Salem and elsewhere were
overwhelmingly women over the age of forty, with women over sixty being at an especially
high risk for both accusation and conviction. The men convicted tended to be the family
members of convicted female witches. Further, although those convicted of witchcraft in
England tended to be poor, those accused of witchcraft in Salem were frequently relatively
wealthy or powerful; for example, in addition to the wives of selectmen and some wealthy
widows, two sons of former Governor Simon Bradstreet were accused but not tried, as was
Captain John Alden, son of the legendary John and Priscilla Alden of Plymouth Colony.
My response to the above quote:
According to Donna Campbell, English professor at Washington State University, while a
range of people may have been accused of witchcraft “those convicted of witchcraft in Salem
and elsewhere were overwhelmingly women over the age of forty, with women over sixty
being at an especially high risk for both accusation and conviction.” Campbell’s study
confirms the stereotype that those convicted of witchcraft were usually women, and it also
confirms another popular belief of elderly women as witches. However, Campbell
complicates our view of witchcraft when she explains that while “those convicted of witchcraft
in England tended to be poor, those accused of witchcraft in Salem were frequently wealthy
or powerful.” In other words, she is demonstrating that the witchcraft trials in Salem followed
a unique dynamic that was different from England, and put the prominent members of
society in more danger. While Campbell’s statistics help to clarify the unique factors of
witchcraft in Salem, she may be underplaying the important role of the poor and powerless in
how the accusations developed. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which was based on the actual
witch trials in Salem, suggests a more complicated dynamic. Tituba, a slave and obviously
powerless, and Abigail, a young woman with a tainted reputation, were the two individuals
who started off the accusations. Each of these women was accused of witchcraft, and each
began to accuse others of the crimes. The first women to be accused were individuals such
as Good and Osburn, outcasts from the society. While the accusations eventually fell on the
“wealthy and powerful” it is important to note that it was the weak and disenfranchised who
were first accused and who set the whole process in motion.
Now you try it! With a partner (or individually if you prefer) write a paragraph response to the
following quote. Don’t worry – we will take it step by step and you can use this in your paper
if you like what you wrote!
The Witchcraft Trials in Salem: A Commentary
by Douglas Linder, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Law
The judges also decided to allow the so-called "touching test" (defendants
were asked to touch afflicted persons to see if their touch, as was generally
assumed of the touch of witches, would stop their contortions) and
examination of the bodies of accused for evidence of "witches' marks" (moles
or the like upon which a witch's familiar might suck) Evidence that would be
excluded from modern courtrooms-- hearsay, gossip, stories, unsupported
assertions, surmises-- was also generally admitted. Many protections that
modern defendants take for granted were lacking in Salem: accused witches
had no legal counsel, could not have witnesses testify under oath on their
behalf, and had no formal avenues of appeal.
Step one: Introduce the quote. Remember…
Templates for introducing quotations:

X states, “not all steroids should be banned from sports.”

As the prominent philosopher X puts it, “__________”

According to X, “__________”

In her book, _________, X maintains that “__________”

Writing in the journal Commentary, X complains that “__________”

In X’s view, “__________”

X agrees when she writes, “__________”

X disagrees when he writes, “__________”

X complicates matters further when she writes, “__________”
Step Two:
Explain your quote. Remember…
Templates for explaining quotations

Basically, X is warning that the proposed solution will only make the problem
worse

In other words, X believes….

In making this comment, X urges us to…

X is corroborating the age-old adage that….

X’s point is that ……..

The essence of X’s argument is that …….
Step Three. State your position about this evidence.
Templates for disagreeing, with reasons:

X is mistaken because she overlooks recent fossil discoveries in the South.

X’s claim that ___________ rests upon the questionable assumption that
___________.

I disagree with X’s view that ____________ because, as recent research has
shown, ____________.

By focusing on ________________, X overlooks the deeper problem of
___________.
Templates for agreeing (but with a difference – don’t just echo the views, add something)

X is surely right about _______________ because recent studies have shown…

X’s theory of ____________ is extremely useful because it shed light on the
difficult problem of _______________

Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it
basically boils down to _______________.
Templates for agreeing and disagreeing Simultaneously:

Although I disagree with much that X says, I fully endorse his final conclusion
that…

X is right that ____________, but she seems on more dubious ground when she
claims that _____________

Whereas X provides ample evidence that _________, X and Z’s (another source
of information) research on ________________ convinces me that ____________
instead.