Essay-GMO’s They say

Select a minimum of two passages from your sources that you think are worthy of being directly quoted — remember the parameters for when it makes sense to directly quote. Pick two passages that you think are reasonably related — either in that they both support the same idea, one somehow contradicts the other, or provides additional information, etc.

Compose a paragraph that incorporates both quotations. Remember to 1) provide a strong and relevant topic sentence to encapsulate what the paragraph will discuss/argue; 2) lead-in properly to each quotation, which means prepare your audience for the content of each quotation; 3) introduce/signal the author of each (e.g. “Smith writes,”); 4) cite the quotations properly using MLA style in the parenthesis; 5) FOLLOW-UP each quotation with a response that explains YOUR position on the idea advanced in each quotation; you may also choose to use one quotation as a way of responding to the other, depending on the content. Use transitions to move us from the one passage to the next.

You must use a template provided in They Say, I Say, Chapter 3 for introducing and/or explaining your quotations.

You must use a template provided in They Say, I Say, Chapter 4 for responding to each quotation.