They Say, I Say Writing Templates

SOURCE: They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing, 4th edition (affiliate link).

Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable

• While I understand the impulse to , my own view is .
• While I agree with X that , I cannot accept her overall conclusion that .
• While X argues , and I argue , in a way we’re both right.
  

The Template Of Templates

In recent discussions of , a controversial issue has been whether . On the one hand, some argue that . From this perspective, . On the other hand, however, others argue that . In the words of , one of this view’s main proponents, “ .” According to this view, . In sum, then, the issue is whether or .

My own view is that . Though I concede that , I still maintain that . For example, . Although some might object that , I would reply that . The issue is important because .

Introducing What “They Say”

• A number of have recently suggested that .
• It has become common today to dismiss .
• In their recent work, Y and Z have offered harsh critiques of for .
  

Introducing “Standard Views”

• Americans today tend to believe that .
• Conventional wisdom has it that .
• Common sense seems to dictate that .
• The standard way of thinking about topic X has it that .
• It is often said that .
• My whole life I have heard it said that .
• You would think that .
• Many people assume that .
  

Making What “They Say” Something You Say

• I’ve always believed that .
• When I was a child, I used to think that .
• Although I should know better by now, I cannot help thinking that .
• At the same time that I believe , I also believe .
  

Introducing Something Implied Or Assumed

• Although none of them have ever said so directly, my teachers have often given me the impression that .
• One implication of X’s treatment of is that .
• Although X does not say so directly, she apparently assumes that .
• While they rarely admit as much, often take for granted that .
  

Introducing An Ongoing Debate

• In discussions of X, one controversial issue has been . On the one hand, argues . On the other hand, contends . Others even maintain . My own view is .
• When it comes to the topic of , most of us will readily agree that . Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of . Whereas some are convinced that , others maintain that .
• In conclusion, then, as I suggested earlier, defenders of can’t have it both ways. Their assertion that is contradicted by their claim that .
  

Capturing Authorial Action

• X acknowledges that .
• X agrees that .
• X argues that .
• X believes that .
• X celebrates the fact that .
• X claims that .
• X complains that .
• X concedes that .
• X demonstrates that .
• X denies/does not deny that .
• X deplores the tendency to .
• X emphasizes that .
• X insists that .
• X observes that .
• X questions whether .
• X refutes the claim that .
• X reminds us that .
• X reports that .
• X suggests that .
• X urges us to .
  

Introducing Quotations

• X states, “ .”
• As the prominent philosopher X puts it, “ .”
• According to X, “ .”
• X himself writes, “ .”
• In her book, , X maintains that “ ”
• Writing in the journal , X complains that “ .”
• In X’s view, “ .”
• X agrees when she writes, “ .”
• X disagrees when he writes, “ .”
• X complicates matters further when he writes, “ .”
  

Explaining Quotations

• Basically, X is saying .
• In other words, X believes .
• In making this comment, X urges us to .
• X is corroborating the age-old adage that .
• X’s point is that .
• The essence of X’s argument is that .
  

Disagreeing, With Reasons

• I think X is mistaken because she overlooks .
• X’s claim that rests upon the questionable assumption that .
• I disagree with X’s view that because, as recent research has shown, .
• X contradicts herself / 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 .
  

Agreeing—With A Difference

• I agree that because my experience confirms it.
• X surely is right about because, as she may not be aware, recent studies have shown that .
• X’s theory of is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of .
• Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to .
• I agree that , a point that needs emphasizing since so many people believe .
• If group X is right that , as I think they are, then we need to reassess the popular assumption that .
  

Agreeing And Disagreeing Simultaneously

• Although I agree with X up to a point, I cannot accept his overall conclusion that .
• Although I disagree with much that X says, I fully endorse his final conclusion that .
• Though I concede that , I still insist that .
• Whereas X provides ample evidence that , Y and Z’s research on and convinces me that instead.
• 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 .
• I’m of two minds about X’s claim that . On the one hand, I agree that . On the other hand, I’m not sure if .
• My feelings on the issue are mixed. I do support X’s position that , but I find Y’s argument about and Z’s research on to be equally persuasive.
  

Signaling Who Is Saying What

• X argues .
• According to both X and Y, .
• Politicians , X argues, should .
• Most athletes will tell you that .
• My own view, however, is that .
• I agree, as X may not realize, that .
• But are real and, arguably, the most significant factor in .
• But X is wrong that .
• However, it is simply not true that .
• Indeed, it is highly likely that .
• X’s assertion that does not fit the facts.
• X is right that .
• X is wrong that .
• X is both right and wrong that .
• Yet a sober analysis of the matter reveals .
• Nevertheless, new research shows .
• Anyone familiar with should agree that .
  

Embedding Voice Markers

• X overlooks what I consider an important point about .
• My own view is that what X insists is a is in fact a .
• I wholeheartedly endorse what X calls .
• These conclusions, which X discusses in , add weight to the argument that .
  

Entertaining Objections

• At this point I would like to raise some objections that have been inspired by the skeptic in me. She feels that I have been ignoring . “ ,” she says to me, “ .”
• Yet some readers may challenge the view that .
• Of course, many will probably disagree with this assertion that .
  

Naming Your Naysayers

• Here many would probably object that .
• But would certainly take issue with the argument that .
• , of course, may want to question whether .
• Nevertheless, both followers and critics of will probably argue that .
• Although not all think alike, some of them will probably dispute my claim that .
• are so diverse in their views that it’s hard to generalize about them, but some are likely to object on the grounds that .
  

Introducing Objections Informally

• But is my proposal realistic? What are the chances of its actually being adopted?
• Yet is it always true that ? Is it always the case, as I have been suggesting, that ?
• However, does the evidence I’ve cited prove conclusively that ?
• “Impossible,” some will say. “You must be reading the research selectively.”
  

Making Concessions While Still Standing Your Ground

• Although I grant that , I still maintain that .
• Proponents of X are right to argue that . But they exaggerate when they claim that .
• While it is true that , it does not necessarily follow that .
• On the one hand, I agree with X that . But on the other hand, I still insist that .
  

Indicating Who Cares

• used to think . But recently [or within the past few decades] suggests that .
• These findings challenge the work of earlier researchers, who tended to assume that .
• Recent studies like these shed new light on , which previous studies had not addressed.
• Researchers have long assumed that . For instance, one eminent scholar of cell biology, , assumed in , her seminal work on cell structures and functions, that fat cells . As herself put it, “ ” (2012). Another leading scientist, , argued that fat cells “ ” (2011). Ultimately, when it came to the nature of fat, the basic assumption was that .
• But a new body of research shows that fat cells are far more complex and that .
• If sports enthusiasts stopped to think about it, many of them might simply assume that the most successful athletes . However, new research shows .
• These findings challenge neoliberals’ common assumptions that .
• At first glance, teenagers appear to . But on closer inspection .
  

Establishing Why Your Claims Matter

• X matters / is important because .
• Although X may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of today’s concern over .
• Ultimately, what is at stake here is .
• These findings have important consequences for the broader domain of .
• My discussion of X is in fact addressing the larger matter of .
• These conclusions / This discovery will have significant applications in as well as in .
• Although X may seem of concern to only a small group of , it should in fact concern anyone who cares about .
  

Commonly Used Transitions

Addition

• also
• and
• besides
• furthermore
• in addition
• in fact
• indeed
• moreover
• so too
  

Elaboration

• actually
• by extension
• in other words
• in short
• that is
• to put it another way
• to put it bluntly
• to put it succinctly
• ultimately
  

Example

• after all
• as an illustration
• consider
• for example
• for instance
• specifically
• to take a case in point
  

Cause and Effect

• accordingly
• as a result
• consequently
• hence
• it follows, then
• since
• so
• then
• therefore
• thus
  

Comparison

• along the same lines
• in the same way
• likewise
• similarly
  

Contrast

• although
• but
• by contrast
• conversely
• despite
• even though
• however
• in contrast
• nevertheless
• nonetheless
• on the contrary
• on the other hand
• regardless
• whereas
• while
• yet
  

Concession

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

Conclusion

• as a result
• consequently
• hence
• in conclusion, then
• in short
• in sum, then
• it follows, then
• so
• the upshot of all this is that
• therefore
• thus
• to sum up
• to summarize
  

Translation Recipes

• Scholar X argues, “ .” In other words, .
• Essentially, X argues .
• X’s point, succinctly put, is that .
• Plainly put, .
  

Adding Metacommentary

• In other words, .
• What really means by this is .
• Ultimately, my goal is to demonstrate that .
• My point is not , but .
• To put it another way, .
• In sum, then, .
• My conclusion, then, is that, .
• In short, .
• What is more important, .
• Incidentally, .
• By the way, .
• Chapter 2 explores , while Chapter 3 examines .
• Having just argued that , let us now turn our attention to .
• Although some readers may object that , I would answer that .
  

Linking To What “They Say”

• As X mentions in this article, “ .”
• In making this comment, X warns that .
• Economists often assume ; however, new research by X suggests .
  

Introducing Gaps In The Existing Research

• Studies of X have indicated . It is not clear, however, that this conclusion applies to .
• often take for granted that . Few have investigated this assumption, however.
• X’s work tells us a great deal about . Can this work be generalized to ?
• Our understanding of remains incomplete because previous work has not examined .