“Yes / No / Okay, But”: Three Ways to Respond- In the textbook, They Say I Say, authors Graff and Birkenstein demonstrate how many people struggle when it comes to stating their position in an argument. When one responds to another person’s argument there are three ways to go about: agreeing, disagreeing, or a combination of both. Trouble forms when responding since many people fail to state their stance which leaves the audience confused. Students and other people are afraid to explain their stance because they do not want to seem unoriginal by agreeing, harsh by disagreeing, or unconfident by doing both. Therefore, when stating one’s stance it is crucial to back it up by evidence and by bringing in new ideas to the table. As a result, they are not just repeating what other’s are saying, and they are clearly showing their argument. The explanation portion is even more important when disagreeing since they have to support their new argument. The authors also explain how an argument can be tipped to one side more than another when combining the two stances. The authors provide specific quotes and examples to support their argument.
What I learned: When I have debates in some of my classes I get scared to provide my own stance. As a result, I end up just confusing the audience, so this helped me understand how to properly develop my argument.
“And Yet”- When it comes to referencing other’s, things tend to get a bit confusing on who is saying what. Therefore, it is important to take certain steps in order to distinguish what they say versus what you say. Voice markers are essential when distinguishing the different perspectives. “So it would seem”, “yet”, “result”, and more are all examples of voice markers, they are phrases or words to help show a perspective. The authors give an example of a text by Gregory Mantsios, and they analyze the text in depth. Mantsios uses a series of voice markers to get his message across without using phrases like “I say” or “I argue”. Many readers fail to comprehend the voice markers, causing them to become confused about who believes what. In this chapter, the authors also contradict the common belief that first person should not be used. “I” can be used as long as it is supported by evidence and a solid argument. However, there are instances where first person should not be used in order to make the paper not seem monotonous.
What I learned: It is easy to get confused when it comes to distinguishing who is saying what. I use voice markers without even realizing it most of the time. When reading other people’s writing you really have to look out for the voice markers to comprehend the text.
“Skeptics May Object”- Many people choose not to face their criticisms since they do not want to think of their work as bad. However, these critiques can be used in one’s own text, and it ends up benefiting them. A rebuttal, or a naysayer can add credibility in one’s text. By pointing out the criticisms and providing evidence to go against that, it makes the author seem confident and trustworthy. By acknowledging the other side it shows how you pointed it out before other’s could beat you to it. In the end, you are not only prepared, but also, with the proper evidence to support your argument. The authors of the textbook give an example of a chapter of a book dedicated to a naysayer by Kim Chernin. It explains how Chernin embraced the counter argument and fully supports her side. In the naysayer, a label can be used in order to address the audience that would be critiquing it. In doing so, it is important to refrain from stereotypes and to keep things professional. However, objections can be introduced informally as well in the form of a question or the naysayer can speak directly. Even though it is informal, the writer shouldn’t get too carried away and mock the other side. The naysayer should also be something that you can easily argue and you have solid evidence on. By providing a naysayer, it adds credibility, answers questions before being asked, acknowledges the other side, and more.
What I learned: In school, I’ve always been taught to provide a naysayer in my essays or reports. Therefore, this chapter was a bit of a review for me. It helped me refresh those key points and how to accomplish going about a naysayer.
“So What? Who Cares?”: When giving a speech, lecture, writing a piece of text it is important to identify why the audience should care. In many scenarios people are left with the questions, “So what?” and “who cares?”, they wonder why the argument applies to them. Therefore, these questions should always be answered in every text or speech in order to properly gain the audience’s attention. In most instances, the writers and speakers assume that the audience already knows, but that is not true. Answering who should be affected by this and why, it helps avoid confusion. A passage from the science writer Denise Grady about fat cells is used as an example of these questions being answered. The authors then analyze this passage in great depth. These questions need to be answered as far as possible.
What I learned: I realized how important it is to answer these simple questions. You can give a great speech or write a great essay, but if you don’t touch on this then it can leave the audience confused.
Words that come to life 