They Say / I Say -- Response 1

In the Introduction to "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein provide templates designed to improve writing techniques of scholarly reports. Specifically, Graff and Birkenstein argue that the types of writing templates they offer are but a starting point for the work to be done, and creativity can complete the rest of the report. As the authors themselves put it, "The belief that pre-established forms undermine creativity... rests on a very limited vision of what creativity is. In our view, the [templates] in this book will actually help your writing become more original and creative, not less." Although some people believe that writing in templates takes away from originality and makes their papers all sound the same, Graff and Birkenstein insist that the templates represent the tricks of the trade in sophisticated thinking and writing. In sum, then, their view is that their techniques will significantly improve the writing habits of college students, if the readers of this text carefully follow their instruction and practice the authors' logistics.

I agree to this bold statement about the advantages of using "They Say / I Say." In my view, the types of templates that the authors recommend are very practical for repetitive usage. For instance, if a writer gets tired of using a particular template, he or she can easily switch to another legitimate template. In addition, depending on the direction of the paper, different templates may be employed to suit the needs of the subject matter. Some might object, of course, on the grounds that writing using templates restricts the overall content of the work. Yet I would argue that the wording of the templates isn't important either; or you can reword one of Graff's and Birkenstein's templates to match your style. Overall, then, I believe this text is essential to the beginner -an important point to make given arguments a standing chance.