They Say, I Say

One main idea from chapter three is that to make an effective argument, you must use others' arguments. The best way to do this is by using direct quote. Therefore, you provide the reader with proof of the statement and it makes your argument accurate. It is important that when using quotes, one doesn't use too few or too many. If there are not enough quotes used, there may not be much support for your argument. If there are too many quotes used, there is not enough original thought provided to the reader. It also important when choosing quotes that they are relevant to your argument and that you are able to fully explain them: who said it, what it means, and how it is relevant to your argument. The main idea in chapter five is that although quoting is important, it is also important that the reader is able to distinguish who is saying what. The writer needs to differentiate when they expressing their own ideas, and when they are expressing the ideas of others. As a writer, you must provide subtle clues that allow the reader to know which ideas belong to whom. As a reader, you must look for these subtle clues and be able to analyze their meanings.