Entering the Conversation

Think about an activity… Think about an activity that you do well—play

basketball, cook, even something like driving a car.

All of these activities require learning a series of complicated moves, moves that may have been difficult or foreign to you at first.

The same goes for writing—good writers learn a series of moves, which makes them strong writers.

Learning writers must learn these moves of basic academic writing.

Stating your own idea as a response to others “they say_____; I say __________.” This is the most important template we will

focus on It expresses not only where you get your ideas,

but where you are going with your own ideas Strong writers are constantly participating in a

discourse; this template allows us to acknowledge what others have said

Establishing a context for the thesis In academic writing, you are often asked

to respond to a particular text, argument, etc.

You may have to agree or disagree with an argument, or extend or expand on it.

No matter what you are asked to do with an argument, you must always begin by showing where your new ideas are coming from. This is the polite and academic thing to do.

May it be my turn to share an idea please?

What is the context?

The context is the background to your argument.

You need it as a springboard to launch into your own argument.

You also need it to show that you are aware of the ongoing conversation around you.

Figure 1

The characters in The Sopranos are

very complex!

Why is he telling us

this? Yeah so?!

Huh?

Figure 2Some say that The Sopranos presents

caricatures of Italian Americans. However, the characters in the

series are very complex!Hmmm…

Good point! I never

thought of that!

Excerpt from MLK’s “ Letter from Birmingham Jail” MLK’s letter consists primarily of eloquent

responses to a public statement by 8 clergymen deploring the civil rights protest he was leading.

His letter is structured almost entirely of summary and response.

“You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about these demonstrations.”

Continued…

His speech is so thoroughly structured, that it almost plays out in this formula: King’s critics King’s response King’s critics King’s response And so forth

Example about American patriotism Here’s an opening to an essay about American

patriotism by the social critic Katha Pollitt, who uses her own daughter’s comment to represent the national fervor of post 9/11 patriotism:

“My daughter, who goes to high school only blocks away from the former World Trade Center, thinks we should fly the American flag out our window. Definitely not, I say: The flag stands for jingoism and vengeance and war. She tells me I’m wrong—the flag means standing together and honoring the dead and saying no terrorism. In a way we’re both right…

Ways of Responding From our textbook we will use a variety

of templates—ones that apply to agreeing, disagreeing, and so forth.

For example: She argues_______, and I agree

because_____________.” Her argument that ________ is supported

by research showing that___________. You will be expected to apply these

templates throughout your essays

It isn’t just a thesis statement or part of your introduction… A good essay not only refers to the

author and text in the intro, but continues to call back to the text/refer to it throughout the entire essay.

This shows that you are constantly aware of your conversation, and that you didn’t just waltz in and take over.

It’s all about me and my world!!!!You’re a

jerk!

Imagine how ignorant you sound…

Amy Brown argues that it is important to speak more than one type of English. Great idea Brown, thanks. Now back to me…which reminds me about me and this one time me me me….blahblahblahblahblahblalbhalbhskfjslkajg…

Imagine how courteous and smart you sound!

Brown argues that it is necessary to speak more than one English. That reminds me of how I use different Englishes when I’m in different situations. For example…

Hmmm…Brown also mentions that the language with her mother is “intimate,” and even how it has become the way she speaks with her boyfriend. I know I do the same with my boyfriend. For example,…

Wrap Up—Putting in your oar:

As you can see, the point of establishing the conversation gives you a place to enter in a way that makes you seem like a respectful and well read scholar.

We do this as a way of agreeing, disagreeing with others, or challenging a standard way of thinking, or in other words: TO START CONTROVERSY!!!