Reflective Essay On The Book 'They Say I Say'

One topic discussed in the book They Say/I Say that I believe will help me immensely is how to properly use quotations in my own writing. I struggle with using quotations and references in my work and this leads me to use very few quotes for supporting my ideas. However, I do recognize the importance of doing so. Using quotes from other pieces can help provide background information from an expert in the field or can help to further support my argument. After having read the chapter I feel as though I have a greater understanding of how to properly choose appropriate quotes for my writing. The quote that one should choose should be relevant to the current topic being discussed and should not be chosen for no valid reason. Another important topic, within the same chapter is how to introduce quotations in an effective manner. Again, this is something that I feel I lack in my current writing. I struggle to find an appropriate place for my quotes and how to …show more content…
I believe that this will be extremely helpful when I want to emphasize the importance of what is being said, whether it be argumentative or informative. The text then describes the level of detail that you should use when describing or explaining the meaning of the quote or how it supports or your argument or not. When I write, I feel as though I do not give enough of an explanation because I do not want to bore the reader. However, after reading this chapter it gave me a new perspective on the scenario. Graff and Birkenstein explain how it is better to be risky and over explain a quote than to leave out details. With the in-depth explanation, you do not have to worry about the reader not understanding the concept that you are trying the explain. If you do not provide enough details you have the risk of the reader not being able to fully understand what you are trying to