When you're staring at a blank document trying to write a college research paper, the hardest part isn't usually forming an opinion—it's figuring out how to connect your voice to what other scholars have already published. Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein solve this exact friction point in their widely assigned textbook, They Say / / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. If you're looking for the They Say I Say PDF to fast-track your essay structure, understanding how these templates actually work will change how you approach research entirely.
Academic writing isn't just an isolated list of facts or a one-sided declaration of your personal beliefs. It's an ongoing conversation in a crowded room. Graff and Birkenstein argue that the most persuasive writers always anchor their own arguments ("I say") directly to the prevailing theories, assumptions, or prior research of others ("they say"). When you master this two-part move, you stop writing disconnected paragraphs and start engaging in genuine scholarly dialogue.
Decoding the Core Framework
The structural skeleton of the book is built on simple formulas that show you how to frame your sources before you dispute or build upon them. Without this framing, students often fall into two traps: the "list summary," where you string together quotes without a point, or the "unsupported assertion," where you state your opinion as if it emerged in a vacuum.
To fix this, the framework splits every effective argument into two mandatory phases:
- The "They Say" Phase: You summarize, paraphrase, or quote the prevailing view or specific source text. You answer what your opponent, historical record, or scientific consensus currently maintains.
- The "I Say" Phase: You introduce your stance. You don't just state that you disagree; you explain why the established view is incomplete, mistaken, or overly narrow based on your analysis.
For instance, instead of writing an essay that merely states, "Social media damages adolescent mental health," you frame it in response to existing optimism: "While technology optimists argue that social media platforms expand crucial peer connectivity for teenagers, I contend that the structural design of these feeds substitutes superficial validation for genuine emotional resilience."
Essential Sentence Templates for Academic Writing
The real value of the They Say I Say methodology lies in its practical sentence templates. These aren't crutches meant to stifle your voice; they're cognitive scaffolding designed to help you move past writer's block and articulate complex relationships between ideas.
Introducing Standard Views
When you need to summarize what "they" are saying before launching into your counter-argument, clear attribution matters. Use verbs that capture the exact nature of the source's claim:
- A number of sociologists are recently suggesting that [X].
- It has long been taken for granted that [X].
- While mainstream researchers often glaze over [X], closer inspection reveals [Y].
Disagreeing with Reasons
When you're ready to make your "I say" move by pushing back against a source, you need to do more than simply say "wrong." You must explain the flaw in logic, evidence, or scope:
- I disagree with [Author]'s claim that [X] because their analysis overlooks crucial data regarding [Y].
- [Author] is mistaken when they suggest that [X], primarily because they rely on outdated historical assumptions.
- While [Author]'s argument about [X] appears logical on the surface, it fails to account for [Z].
Agreeing—With a Difference
Sometimes you agree with an author, but you want to take their point further or apply it to a new domain. This is where agreement requires nuance:
- I agree with [Author] that [X]; however, we need to extend this line of thinking to consider [Y].
- [Author] is spot-on about [X], and my own experience with [Z] reinforces this conclusion.
- While I concede that [X] under standard conditions, we must also recognize that [Y] changes the outcome.
Common Pitfalls When Using Argument Templates
When writers first discover these templates in a PDF or textbook summary, they often misuse them by treating them as fill-in-the-blank mad libs. This creates stiff, unnatural prose that reads like a robot wrote it.
Avoid these three traps to keep your writing sharp and persuasive:
- Dropping Quotes Without Framing: Don't let a quote sit in your paragraph by itself. Always introduce it with a "they say" frame and follow it immediately with an explanation of what the quote means for your argument.
- Failing to Distinguish Your Voice: If you use templates without adapting them to your personal academic tone, your entire paper will sound like a generic template. Mix up the phrasing and integrate the templates smoothly into your own sentence structures.
- Setting Up Strawmen: When summarizing the opposing view ("they say"), never weaken your opponent's argument on purpose just to make it easier to knock down. Address the strongest version of their argument so your counter-attack carries real weight.
Integrating Evidence and Responding to Skeptics
A truly robust academic paper doesn't just present one counter-argument and move on. It anticipates what a skeptical reader will object to while they read your work. Graff and Birkenstein call this "planting a naysayer in your text."
By addressing potential objections before your reader has a chance to formulate them, you build immense credibility. You show that you've thought through the limitations of your own thesis.
For example, you might write: "At this point, some readers may object that expanding renewable energy infrastructure costs too much in the short term. They are right to point out the steep initial capital requirements. However, this objection ignores the multi-decade maintenance savings and the avoided costs of climate disasters."
This move disarms your critics, demonstrates intellectual honesty, and strengthens your final claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the templates in They Say I Say considered plagiarism?
No. Standard academic phrasing and transitional structures cannot be copyrighted or plagiarized. They are common rhetorical tools shared across scholarly disciplines. What matters is that your content, analysis, and specific source integration are entirely original.
How do I choose the right verb when introducing a source?
Match the verb to the author's actual tone. Use asserts or claims when an author is taking a strong stance with limited proof. Use observes or notes when presenting descriptive facts. Use concedes when an author reluctantly admits a point.
Can I use these templates in scientific and technical papers?
Yes. While the book focuses heavily on humanities and social sciences, empirical science papers also rely on framing previous literature before introducing new findings. Phrases like "Prior studies indicate [X], but our measurements demonstrate [Y]" follow the exact same logic.
How can I make my writing sound less formulaic while using templates?
Use templates as training wheels for drafting your rough outline. Once your core paragraphs are on the page, go back during your revision pass to rewrite the sentence transitions in your own natural phrasing.
