PREFACE Demystifying Academic Conversation

INTRODUCTION Entering the Conversation

PART 1. “THEY SAY”
ONE “THEY SAY” Starting with What Others Are Saying
TWO “HER POINT IS” The Art of Summarizing T
HREE “AS HE HIMSELF PUTS IT” The Art of Quoting

PART 2. “I SAY”
FOUR “YES / NO / OK, BUT” Three Ways to Respond
FIVE “AND YET” Distinguishing What You Say from What They Say
SIX “SKEPTICS MAY OBJECT” Planting a Naysayer in Your Text
SEVEN “IN MY EXPERIENCE” Using Personal Stories to Energize Your Argument
EIGHT “SO WHAT? WHO CARES?” Saying Why It Matters

PART 3. TYING IT ALL TOGETHER
NINE “AS A RESULT” Connecting the Parts
TEN “YOU MEAN I CAN JUST SAY IT THAT WAY?” Academic Writing Doesn’t Mean Setting Aside Your Own Voice
ELEVEN “BUT DON’T GET ME WRONG” The Art of Metacommentary
TWELVE “WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS” Revising Substantially

PART 4. IN SPECIFIC ACADEMIC CONTEXTS
THIRTEEN “I TAKE YOUR POINT” Entering Class Discussions
FOURTEEN WHAT’S MOTIVATING THIS WRITER? Reading for the Conversation
FIFTEEN “BUT AS SEVERAL SOURCES SUGGEST” Research as Conversation
SIXTEEN “ON CLOSER EXAMINATION” Entering Conversations about Literature
SEVENTEEN “THE DATA SUGGEST” Writing in the Sciences
EIGHTEEN “ANALYZE THIS” Writing in the Social Sciences