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Responding to an Issue

Important issues are often complicated, and reasonable people can meaningfully disagree.

We all bring our own perspectives and experiences to the issues we care about.

This means that our positions require nuance, with an eye toward advancing the conversation surrounding an issue instead of simply proving that we’re right and someone else is wrong.

Disagree

More than simply adding “not” to what someone else has said: “Although they say women’s rights are improving, I say women’s rights are not improving.” This fails to add anything new.

To make this an argument, give reasons:

another’s argument fails to take relevant factors into account

it is based on faulty or incomplete evidence

it rests on questionable assumptions

it uses flawed logic

is contradictory

overlooks what you take to be the real issue

From They Say, I Say, fifth ed., Graff and Birkenstein

Templates for Disagreeing

X is mistaken because she overlooks important court cases from the last few years.

X’s claim that ______ rests on the questionable assumption that ________.

I disagree with X’s view that _______ because, as recent research has shown, ________.

X contradicts herself. On the one hand, she argues _________. On the other hand, she also says _______.

By focusing on ________, X overlooks the deeper problem of ________.

From They Say, I Say, fifth ed., Graff and Birkenstein

Agreeing

You can contribute something of your own to a conversation even as you agree with what someone else has said.

Your contribution might take the form of pointing out:

Some unnoticed evidence or line of reasoning that supports X’s claim but X herself didn’t mention.

some corroborating personal experience or a situation not mentioned by X theat her views help readers understand.

A stronger explanation, if X’s views are challenging.

In other words, your text can usefully contribute to the conversation simply by pointing out unnoticed implications or explaining something that needs to be better understood.

From They Say, I Say, fifth ed., Graff and Birkenstein

Templates for Agreeing

I agree that the pandemic has shown how important student services are for non-traditional students because my experience at Big State University confirms it.

X is surely right about ______________ because, as she may not be aware, recent studies have shown that ___________.

X’s theory of ________ is extremely useful because it sheds light on the difficult problem of _________.

Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to _________.

As long as you can support a position taken by someone else without merely restating what was said, i.e. offering your unique perspective, there’s no need to worry about being “unoriginal.”

From They Say, I Say, fifth ed., Graff and Birkenstein

Agreeing/Disagreeing

Helps go beyond simply “this is good/this is bad.”

Agree with one facet of someone’s view on an issue but disagree with another.

e.g. I agree that marijuana sentencing laws are too harsh, but I disagree that it should be completely legalized immediately.

By admitting that an opposing argument has a point, you could bolster your credibility, presenting yourself as a writer willing to acknowledge facts rather than one determined to cheerlead only for their own perspective.

Can be tipped toward agreement or disagreement in a nuanced way

From They Say, I Say, fifth ed., Graff and Birkenstein

Templates for Agreeing/Disagreeing

Although I agree with X up to a point, I cannot accept his overriding assumption that religion is no longer a major force today.

Although I disagree with much that X says, I fully endorse his final conclusion that ________.

Though I concede that ______, I still insist that ______.

X is right that ________, but she seems on more dubious ground when she claims that _______.

While X is probably wrong when she claims that _________, she is right that __________.

Whereas X provides ample evidence that __________, Y and Z’s research on ________ and ______ convinces me that _______ instead.

From They Say, I Say, fifth ed., Graff and Birkenstein

Towards a Thesis Statement

Remember, crafting a position should feel exploratory. You’re trying to offer a new way of approaching an issue, even if you’re largely agreeing with the sources you’re including.

Consider how you respond to each of the sources you’ve looked at.

What’s missing from the conversation that you’d like to articulate?

A Strong Thesis does not…

…equal a subject plus a statement of opinion:

“University advertisements have always been bad.”

“First-generation college students have to work harder than others.”

“Covid-19 makes students not want to go to school.”

“Cocoa powder has a fascinating history.”

“The worst cornbread dressing recipe is still better than traditional Thanksgiving stuffing.”

A Strong Thesis is not…

…a subject plus a statement of fact:

“Nearly all universities advertise their programs.”

“First-generation college students are the first in their families to attend college.

“The pandemic has presented unique challenges for students.

“Cacao was brought back to Europe by Spanish Conquistadors.”

“Many cornbread dressing recipes include an entire baking hen.”

A Thesis Statement is a subject + a debatable statement of significance…

“Covid-19 has exposed the misleading ways that some universities market their programs to students.”

“In preparing incoming students, most universities have overlooked the emotional and psychological connection first-generation college students have to being on campus”

“The pandemic presents a unique opportunity for higher education to reevaluate the residential college experience.”

“Because of the special way it incorporates chicken, Southern-style cornbread dressing is not only one of the most delicious types of stuffing, it offers insight into the unique relationship Southerners have with chicken.”