They Say/I Say Chapter 2 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

To argue persuasively, you must:

Be in dialogue with others

Summarizing others' arguments is:

Central to your arsenal of basic moves

Writers who make strong claims need to:

Map their claims (relative to those of other people)

Summarizing (in the book) refers to:

Any information from others that you present in your own words (including that which you paraphrase) Signup and view all the answers

Some writers shy away from summarizing because:

They fear that devoting too much time to other people's ideas will take away from their own Signup and view all the answers

2 extremes to summarizing are:

<ol> <li>Summarizing your own views but not what the article says. 2. Those who do nothing but summarize.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Those who only summarize may:

Lack confidence Signup and view all the answers

Summaries often have:

No clear focus Signup and view all the answers

A general rule of summarizing is to balance what:

The original author is saying with the writer's own focus Signup and view all the answers

A summary must be true to what the original author says while also:

Emphasizing those aspects of what the author says that interest you Signup and view all the answers

Summarizing can be tricky because it means facing:

Both outward (toward the author being summarized) and inward (toward yourself) Signup and view all the answers

To write a good summary, you must be able to suspend:

Your own beliefs for a time and put yourself in the shoes of someone else Signup and view all the answers

The 'believing game' was coined by writing theorist:

Peter Elbow Signup and view all the answers

The 'believing game' is:

When you try to inhibit the worldview of those whose conversation you are joining Signup and view all the answers

The ability to temporarily suspend one's own convictions is a hallmark of good actors, who must:

Convincingly 'become' characters whom in real life they may detest Signup and view all the answers

When you play the believing game well:

Readers should not be able to tell whether you agree or disagree with the ideas you are summarizing Signup and view all the answers

If you are unable to suspend your own beliefs, you are likely to produce:

Summaries so obviously biased that they undermine your credibility with readers Signup and view all the answers

Length of a good summary:

1 or 2 sentences Signup and view all the answers

When a writer fails to provide enough summary, he or she falls prey to:

'The closet cliché syndrome' Signup and view all the answers

'The closet cliché syndrome' refers to:

What gets summarized is not the view the author expressed but a familiar cliché that the writer mistakes for the author's view Signup and view all the answers

When entering into a conversation with others, it is important to:

Go back to what those others have said, and that you studied it closely Signup and view all the answers

A writer who fails to go back to what others have said ends up conversing with:

Imaginary others who are the products of his/her own biases and preconceptions Signup and view all the answers

An effective summary requires you to temporarily adopt:

The worldview of another Signup and view all the answers

Adopting the view of another does not mean:

Ignoring your own view altogether Signup and view all the answers

When summarizing, it is your duty to represent what the text said and:

Exert a quiet influence Signup and view all the answers

When summarizing it is important to align your:

They say and I say Signup and view all the answers

Writers who summarize without regard to their own interests fall prey to:

'List summaries' Signup and view all the answers

'List summaries' refer to:

Summaries that simply inventory the original author's various points but fail to focus those points around any larger overall claim Signup and view all the answers

Words often used in list summaries include:

'And then', 'also', 'in addition' Signup and view all the answers

A summary has to have a slant or spin that:

Prepares the way for your own claims Signup and view all the answers

Think of a summary as a joint property that reflects:

Both the source you are summarizing and your own views Signup and view all the answers

An exception to the rule that 'good summaries require a balance between what someone else has said and your own interests as a writer' is:

The satiric summary Signup and view all the answers

The satiric summary refers to:

When a writer deliberately gives his or her own spin to someone else's argument in order to reveal a glaring shortcoming in it Signup and view all the answers

The satiric mode can be an effective form of critique because:

It lets the summarized argument condemn itself without overt editorializing by you, the writer Signup and view all the answers

When summarizing, try to avoid words like:

'They said' or 'He said' or 'They believe' Signup and view all the answers

Why should we avoid using bland words?

Because it often fails to reflect accurately what’s been said Signup and view all the answers

People often tend to _____________ with their writing

Play it safe Signup and view all the answers

Try using phrases such as:

'X totally misrepresented...' Signup and view all the answers

College level authors don't 'say' or 'discuss' things, but rather:

'Urge', 'emphasize' and 'complain about' Signup and view all the answers

When summarizing and introducing a quotation:

Use vivid and precise signal verbs as often as possible Signup and view all the answers

Verbs for making a claim include:

Argue, assert, believe, claim, emphasize, insist, observe, remind us, report, suggest Signup and view all the answers

Verbs for expressing agreement include:

Acknowledge, admire, agree, endorse, extol, praise the fact that, corroborate, do not deny, reaffirm, support, verify Signup and view all the answers

Verbs for questioning or disagreeing include:

Complain, complicate, contend, contradict, deny, deplore the tendency to, qualify, question, refute, reject, renounce, repudiate Signup and view all the answers

Verbs for making recommendations include:

Advocate, call for, demand, encourage, exhort, implore, plead, recommend, urge, warn Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Persuasive Argumentation

Effective persuasion requires being in dialogue with others to understand diverse viewpoints.
Summarizing others' arguments is a fundamental skill for constructing your own persuasive narrative.

Importance of Summarizing

Summarizing enhances a writer's credibility and demonstrates engagement with different ideas.
Writers should balance presenting their claims with relevant summaries of opposing views.

Characteristics of Summaries

Good summaries maintain the integrity of the original ideas while highlighting aspects of personal interest.
A summary may lack focus if it fails to compare or contrast various viewpoints clearly.

Challenges in Summarizing

Failing to summarize adequately can lead to "the closet cliché syndrome," where writers mistakenly represent common clichés as the author's views.
Writers risk creating biased summaries if they cannot suspend their beliefs during the writing process.

Techniques for Effective Summarizing

Aim to produce concise summaries, ideally in 1 or 2 sentences, that reflect the original argument.
Use precise language and vivid verbs instead of bland phrases like "they said" to effectively convey the original argument's essence.

Writing Style and Expression

Avoid "list summaries" that merely catalog points without weaving them into a larger argument.
Comprehensive summaries should reflect both the source material and the writer’s perspective, creating a joint property of ideas.

The Believing Game

"The believing game," coined by Peter Elbow, involves adopting others' worldviews to engage meaningfully with their arguments.
This approach allows for a deeper exploration of contrasting perspectives, enabling readers to see the argument's complexity without clear bias.

Summary Techniques

Use a range of strong verbs to convey various positions: for claiming, use terms like "assert" and "emphasize"; for agreement, use "endorse" and "support"; for disagreement, terms like "refute" and "contend" are effective.
Writers should strive to present summaries that not only share what others have said but also exert a subtle influence aligned with their own interests.

Special Considerations

The satiric summary allows for a biased spin that critiques the original argument without direct editorial interference, highlighting flaws in a creative manner.
Beware of playing it safe, as this can undermine the depth and engagement of your writing. Use strong, assertive phrases to captivate readers.

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Test your understanding of key concepts from Chapter 2 of 'They Say/I Say'. This quiz focuses on persuasive argumentation, summarizing others' arguments, and the importance of dialoguing with different perspectives. Use these flashcards to reinforce your learning and improve your writing skills.