THEY SAY/I SAY TEMPLATES FOR HISTORY 300

Sentence Templates + Transitions

Derived from Graff and Birkenstein’s They Say, I Say

Remember: the templates below are meant to “be direct with [you] about the key rhetorical moves that [critical thinking] comprises” (Graff & Birkenstein, 2010). T

Introducing What an Author Says X acknowledges that _____________. X agrees that _____________. X argues that _____________. X believes that _____________. X denies/does not deny that _____________. X claims that _____________. X complains that _____________. X concedes that _____________. X demonstrates that _____________. X celebrates the fact that _____________. X insists that _____________. X questions whether _____________. X reminds us that _____________. X reports that _____________. X suggests that _____________.

Using a Quotation (i.e., Backing up your argument with proof) X states, “_______” ( ). Example: Standage states, “Some [drinks] have served to highlight the power and status of the elite” (2). According to X, “____” ( ). According to Standage, “Wine was the lifeblood of [Greece]” (3). X himself writes, “_______” ( ). Standage himself writes, “Six beverages... chart the flow of world history” (2). Odysseus himself says, “I longed for sweet Penelope” (9.21). In his book, ______________, X maintains that “________” ( ). In his book, A History of the World in Six Glasses, Standage maintains that “Greek and Roman knowledge... had been safeguarded and extended by scholars in the Arab world” (4). Writing in the magazine ________, X complains that “____________” ( ). Writing in the online magazine Salon, Weitz complains that “reality television is little more than gladiatorial combat” (3). X agrees when she writes, “_____” ( ). I believe wine was the most influential drink in history. Standage agrees when he writes, “Wins was the lifeblood of [Greece]” (4).

Explaining a Quotation (i.e., Showing that you understand what the quote says) Basically, X is saying _______. In other words, X believes ____________. In making this comment, X urges us to ________. In making this comment, Cepeda urges us to look consider whether we do, actually, like hard work. X’s point is that _________. The essence of X’s argument is that _____________.

Naming Your Naysayers or Opponents (i.e., Introducing your rebuttal) Here many ____________ would probably object that _______. Here many proponents of choice reading would probably object that complex texts destroy the enjoyment of reading. Of course, ____________s would certainly take issue with the argument that ________. Of course, antiglobalization activists would certainly take issue with the argument that globalization helps out developing countries. ___________s, of course, may want to question whether ______________. Patriots, of course, may want to question whether the United States is acting out of selfish motives in its wars overseas. Nevertheless, critics of _________ will probably argue that ______________. Nevertheless, critics of student-chosen reading will probably argue that reading complex texts is the only way to increase reading levels. Although not all _____________s  think alike, some of them will probably dispute my claim that ______________. Although not all globalization fans think alike, some of them will probably dispute my claim that globalized companies are destroying developing countries.

Making a Concession (i.e., They have a point, BUT...) Admittedly, ___________. Proponents of X are right to argue that ______________. But they are exaggerating when they claim that _____________. Proponents of complex texts are right to argue that reading such material is essential for post-secondary success. But they are exaggerating when they claim that Standage’s book is the only possible complex text for world history students to read. While it is true that __________, it does not necessary follow that _____________. On the one hand, X is right to say ________________. On the other hand, it is still true that _________________.

Disagreeing, with Reasons (i.e., They are just wrong) X is mistaken because she overlooks ______________. X’s claim that ____________ rests upon the questionable assumption that __________________. X can’t have it both ways. On the one hand, she argues ___________________. On the other hand, she also says ____________________. By focusing on _______________, X overlooks the deeper problem of ________________.

Establishing Why Your Claims Matter (i.e., Why should I care about this argument?) *This is great clincher material* X matters because _____________________. High school matters because it either opens or closes doors into the rest of my life. Although X may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of today’s concern over _________________. Although doing homework may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of succeeding in high school and developing my brain. Ultimately, what is at stake here is ________________________. Ultimately, what is at stake here is my lifelong flourishing; being lazy now means being unhappy for decades. Although X may seem of concern to only a small group of _________________, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about ________________. Although high school may seem of concern to only a small group of nerdy students, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about having an enjoyable life.

Transitions

For ADDING IDEAS:

also                            another                     in fact        equally important         moreover
furthermore            additionally                              indeed        in addition              

For MAKING A CONTRAST:

however                                      nevertheless                      although                       conversely
on the contrary                        notwithstanding                 even though                  all the same                                              

on the other hand                    by contrast                         nonetheless

For COMPARING:

likewise                               equally                      along the same lines
similarly                             in comparison            in the same way

For CITING AN EXAMPLE:

for example                          in other words            in fact
for instance                          specifically                 after all
as an illustration                 consider        

For SHOWING RESULTS:

accordingly                                hence                              consequently
as a result                                  thus                                 therefore

For REINFORCING AN IDEA:

especially important                          above all                                        most noteworthy
especially relevant                            a significant factor                         most of all       

For ELABORATING (expanding upon a point):

actually                      by extension          to put it another way
to put it bluntly          in short                                  to put it succinctly
in other words           ultimately                               basically

For CONCEDING A POINT:

admittedly                          of course                although it is true that
naturally                            granted                  to be sure

For CONCLUDING:

clearly                                  hence                        consequently
obviously                             therefore                   thus
in short                                all in all