11 -- They Say I Say and Don't Blame the Reader

Turn in persuasive essay outline and ARO for Guest Workers

Activity #1
Journal: Write about a time when you performed in front of an audience.

Activity #2
Chapter 1 in They Say, I Say

Starting with what others are saying
A writer needs to indicate clearly not only what his or her thesis is, but also what larger conversation the thesis is responding to. And the writer needs to do that early in the conversation (20).


Let's use this for example (conversation) as we talk about "they say, I say".  They say -- Vaping should be illegal. That's the larger conversation.  How would you enter the conversation? What would be your thesis statement?  

Order -- Summarize what "they say" as soon as you can in your text, and remind readers of it at strategic points as your text unfolds (21).

As soon as possible state your own position and the one it's responding to together, and that you think of the two as a unit.  It is generally best to summarize the ideas you're responding to briefly, at the start of your text, and to delay detailed elaboration until later. The point is to give your readers a quick preview of what is motivating your argument, not to drown them in details right away (21).

Templates (pages 23-27)

Last paragraph on page 27. 

Activity #3

Loaded Language video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUuyUZCAvbQ

Read Guest Workers and the U.S. Heritage" by Jay Bookman

Guest Workers and the U.S. Heritage Active Reading Outline



Homework for Friday: 
          Bring two copies of the rough draft of your persuasive essay.
          Also, turn in the ARO for "We Don't Need 'Guest Workers'

           No late work will be accepted after spring break.  If you have anything outstanding, turn it in by Friday.




"Don't Blame the Eater" pages 647-650

Summarize Zinczenko's arguments (his "I say") against the practices of fast food companies. How persuasive are those arguments.

One important move in all good argumentative writing is to introduce voices raising possible objections to the position being argued -- what the book calls naysayers.  What objections does Zinczenko introduce, and how does he respond?

How does the story that Z tells about his own experience in paragraphs 3 and 4 support or fail to support his argument? How could the same story be used to support an argument opposed to Z's?

So what? Who cares? How does Z make clear to readers why his topic matters? Or, if he does not, how might he do so?