They say, i say the moves that matter in academic writing

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"They say": starting with what others are saying -- "Her point is": the art of summarizing -- "As he himself puts it": the art of quoting -- "Yes / no / okay, but": three ways to respond -- "And yet": distinguishing what you say from what they say -- "Skeptics may object": planting a naysayer in your text -- "So what? Who cares?": saying why it matters -- "As a result": connecting the parts -- "Ain't so/ is not": academic writing doesn't always mean setting aside your own voice -- "But don't get me wrong": the art of metacommentary -- "I take your point": entering class discussions -- "What's motivating this writer?": reading for the conversation -- "The data suggest": writing in the sciences -- "Analyze this": writing in the social sciences -- Readings: don't blame the eater / David Zinczenko -- Readings: hidden intellectualism / Gerald Graff -- Readings: nuclear waste / Richard A. Muller -- Readings: agonism in the academy / Deborah Tannen -- Index of templates.

The best-selling new composition book published in this century, in use at more than 1,000 schools, They Say / I Say has essentially defined academic writing, identifying its key rhetorical moves, the most important of which is to summarize what others have said to set up one's own argument. The book also provides templates to help students make these key moves in their own writing. The Second Edition includes a new chapter on reading that shows students how to read for the larger conversation and two new chapters on the moves that matter in the sciences and social sciences.