VOA慢速英语2015 写作建议:“他们说,我说”

 

Tips for Writing: ‘They Say, I Say’ 写作建议:“他们说,我说”

For VOA Learning¹ English, this is the Education Report.

Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein are the writers of a best-selling book about college writing. The book is called They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. The book has had a major effect on the way writing is taught in the United States. It is a required book at more than 1,000 universities. The goal of this short book is to take the mystery out of academic writing. Gerald Graff says students sometimes make writing harder than it needs to be.

“Somebody needs to explain to students that, difficult as it might be, it’s not as hard as you’re making it.”

English learners often think that academic writing is all about spelling, grammar, and organization. Author Cathy Birkenstein says almost anyone can put a sentence together. The difficult part is learning to read and think critically.

“These concerns of English language learners aren’t always that different from advanced language learners…These are basic questions, really not just of how to write…but they’re really how to think academically, and how to structure an argument, and how to really be interesting.”

The two experts say that good academic writing follows a simple design called “They Say, I Say.” A paper should begin with what others have already said about the subject, or “they say.” Then, student writers present their own opinions, or “I say.” A college paper should show the writer entering a debate among experts.

“A lot of people think writing can’t be reduced to a formula². Well in fact it can…All effective academic writing at least comes down to the basic formula of “they say, I say”…Although most people argue [blank], I argue [blank].”

Mr. Graff agrees.

“Most published journalism³ and scholarship follows this basic form.”

Cathy Birkenstein says the form is common in other kinds of writing as well.

“I think whether you’re writing on Facebook and whether you’re sending an email, whether you’re writing a poem or a novel, and whether you’re speaking Vietnamese or French or English, you really have to kind of play this underlying⁴ ‘they say, I say’ game of responding to what other people are saying and giving them a sense of what you think in response to what they’re saying. And if you don’t do that, and use some form a template that Gerry and I suggest, or your own version⁵ of it, I don’t people are going to really understand what you’re saying or care about what you’re saying.”

Good academic writing starts with reading. Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein have some suggestions for getting started.

“Start with what others are saying and play off that. Resist the temptation⁶ to give your own opinion until you’ve sketched⁷ out the conversation, the dialog⁸ that’s going on.”

Ms. Birkenstein says students should explain an expert’s idea first.

“I think if you’re not sure what to write about, summarize⁹ a good author, find out who that author is responding to, and figure out the debate or conflict there and figure out where you stand too.”

An expanded third edition of “They Say I Say” will be released¹⁰ on February first.

Words in This Story

formula – n. a plan or method for doing, making, or achieving something

journalism – n. the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing¹¹ news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio

scholarship – n. serious formal study or research of a subject

template – n. something that is used as an example of how to do, make, or achieve something

temptation – n. a strong urge or desire to have or do something

sketched out – v. to describe (something) briefly¹²

dialog – n. a conversation between two or more people

edition – n. a particular version of a book

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 formula   

n.公式；配方，外方；规则，一定的做法

参考例句：

• His father is acting on his formula.他的父亲总是按他的原则办事。
• Here are some applications of Taylor's formula.下面举例说明泰乐定理的应用。

3 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

4 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

5 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

6 temptation   

n.诱惑，引诱；v.引，诱

参考例句：

• I should congratulate you that you resisted the temptation.我应向你祝贺，你抗住了这种引诱。
• Will they be able to resist the temptation to buy?他们能忍住诱惑不买吗？

7 sketched   

v.草拟（sketch的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The historical article sketched the major events of the decade. 这篇有关历史的文章概述了这十年中的重大事件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He sketched the situation in a few vivid words. 他用几句生动的语言简述了局势。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 dialog   

n.对话，对白

参考例句：

• At last there can be a reasonable dialog between our two governments.我们两国最后终于能理智地进行对话了。
• Address every primary view and dialog possible.要尽可能考虑到所有主要的视图和对话。

9 summarize   

vt.概括，概述，总结

参考例句：

• I will summarize what I have done.我将概述我所做的事情。
• They need to find information quickly and be able to summarize it in clear language.他们需要快速找到信息并能用清晰的语言概述。

10 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

11 editing   

adj.编辑的

参考例句：

• The processing of data in random order,not subject to preliminary editing or sorting.未经预先编辑或分类，以任意次序对数据进行的处理的做法。

12 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。