Benjamin Mao

Pd.6
3/2/14
Argument Essay
Lets agree to disagree. In the introduction to They say/ I say: The moves that matter in
academic writing, Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein provide templates designed to help
student writers enhance their writing though the use of argument and refutation. They argue that
through the process of defending their topic and refuting the other side, students will learn to
accept others of their differences. As the authors themselves put it, the future for us all may
depend on our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others who think very differently from us.
Although some people believe that such writing is a waste of time, Graff and Birkenstein insist
that such writing helps prepare students for the challenges of the real world, where arguments are
more often than not, multi-sided.
I agree with Graff and Birkenstein. The types of templates they offer force students to
examine all sides of an issue and provide for a much more interesting paper. For instance, if a
student was tasked with taking a side on the issue of gay marriage and only had to tell his side of
the issue, he might ramble on and on about how his religion detests gay marriage and about how
it is an abomination. However, if the student had to address the other side in his paper, he would
have to explain to them why he thinks gay marriage is wrong. The student now plays defense and
realizes that in the end, there is no true right or wrong answer. An argument is like a debate; you
win by persuading the other side to support your opinion. Although some might say that these
templates provide room for controversial topics like gay marriage and abortion, the truth is,
students are going to be exposed to these issues sooner or later, so its best to start preparing
them for controversy in environment of school, where they can discuss the issues among their
peers.
Benjamin Mao
Pd.6
3/2/14
The templates that Graff and Birkenstein stand by really do make student writing better.
Instead of focusing on just one side, students are also forced to see a different side of an issue.
Argument essays prepare students for interviews and college degrees like the PhD, where a
potential recipient must defend their thesis from a panel of experts.