They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein

They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing

Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein

181 pages first pub 2005 (view editions)

nonfiction education informative slow-paced
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This book is ideal for readers who want to learn how to engage more effectively with existing arguments in their own academic writing by structuring their work around a clear dialogue between sources and their personal insights.

Step-by-Step Explanation:
1. Analyze Book Details: The book focuses on teaching rhetorical moves for academic writing, emphasizing the interaction between existing arguments ("they say") and the writer's own arguments ("I say").
2. Identify User Goal: The user is looking for a reader profile, avoiding restating genres/moods/pacing.
3. Focus on Themes & Purpose: The core purpose is to empower readers to engage with scholarly conversations through structured templates and strategies.
4. Generalize the Reader: Instead of "students," I used "readers who want to learn how to engage more effectively with existing arguments in their own academic writing," which is more general.
5. Result: The answer frames the book as a tool for improving academic writing through dialogue, appealing to those seeking a structured approach.

Description

"They Say / I Say" shows that writing well means mastering some key rhetorical moves, the most important of which involves summarizing what others have said ("they say") to set up one\'s own argument ("I say"). In addition to explaining the basic ...

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Community Reviews

3.71
based on 745 reviews

Moods

informative: 95%

inspiring: 18%

lighthearted: 13%

challenging: 9%

reflective: 9%

emotional: 4%

funny: 4%

relaxing: 4%


Pace

23% of readers chose fast
47% of readers chose medium
28% of readers chose slow
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