"They Say, I Say" Blog Post; 4 "As He Himself Puts It"

 Throughout chapter three, "As He Himself Puts It", Gerald Graff as well as Cathy Birkenstein review the proper usage of quotations and under what circumstances they can be utilized in. Most notably, they explain and give light into how an author, including ourselves, may go about incorporating another author's ideas in order to further their original premise. That said, the number of errors which can occur within this practice is boundless, in that by making one mistake, the rest of your work may be discredited. Nonetheless, both Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein reviewed the proper introduction and conclusion which can be drawn from external resources. As for what us, the readers, were responsible for, we were to complete two exercises that reviewed the proper (and improper) ways in which authors implement others' writing within their own. Both exercises are listed, answered, and explained below: 

Exercise 1.) The intent of exercise one was to expose our current knowledge of proper quotation implementation to that of what other authors do. We were instructed to find a random scholarly article which does exactly that, and then to decide whether the writer had properly integrated their quotation. Additionally, with the added knowledge of ways in which this can be done, we were to explain how the author went about doing so. The article source can be found in my works cited (end of the blog entry). 

Throughout his rather long article regarding the Libertarian and Green Partys' effect of the 2020 United States election, Ed Kilgore of the Intelligencer compares and contrasts what each party is capable of disrupting within the upcoming election. While the usage of quotes is evident throughout his work, I began to ponder the effect in which each quote had as there seemed to be such a surplus of other writers' ideas. That said, I would not attribute this matter to a lack of writing technique; rather, I would reconcile this extensive usage to the fact that in such a complicated subject, going directly to the source is the proper course of action. As Ed has done, he properly introduces each quote with a concise context as to what it means and why it's important. Throughout each of his quotes, he also cites who is responsible for the idea. Shortly after, he explains the thought process which went into the quotes themselves, in an effort to emulate their thoughts when speaking on the matter. In doing so, Ed Kilgore is able to convey to his audience that while there is a partial bias, there is also room for opposing views, which the readers themselves must formulate. 

Exercise 2.) As for our second exercise, we were told to gather our own writing and determine whether we utilize quotations properly and often enough in order to convey a premise. That said, we were also to review what could be improved following our reading of chapter three, "As He Himself Puts It", as we had furthered our understanding of how proper implementation of quotations was essential to our credibility throughout the paper. In wrongly performing the task of quotation usage, not only is our future credibility in jeopardy, but also the previous statements made, no matter how well, are challenged by the now wary audience. 

Upon reviewing my recent writings, ranging from Single-Sex Education to certain parameters within the Java language, I find that while I often utilize quotations within my work, it's not traditionally done in a form that is conducive to a convincing article and premise. An example of which would be my usage of quotations regarding a sound single-sex schooling environment: "Complimenting this healthier environment is a newly created atmosphere that is now conducive to learning, contribution, ardency, and immense effort deriving from its student body. “Boys, especially in elementary school, said they liked being away from the girls because there's "too much drama" when they're around” (McNeil). Contrary to common belief, boys, just like girls, seek an environment that not only supports but furthers their learning while free of external distractions such as the opposing sex." And while I did properly cite and back my quote, it would've been quite beneficial if I were to have added a preface to my external source as it would've added more validity to my premise. As a part of improving my writing skills, I have altered the sentence just prior to my quote in the example below: 

Complementing matters involving a healthier environment is Michele McNeil of Education Week's objective premise regarding the different physiologies associated with males and females.  “Boys, especially in elementary school, said they liked being away from the girls because there's "too much drama" when they're around” (McNeil). Contrary to common belief, boys, just like girls, seek an environment that not only supports but furthers their learning while free of external distractions such as the opposing sex. 

In my revision of the first sentence, I abided by guidance found throughout chapter three of "They Say, I Say" which pushed a notion that by informing the audience of your source beforehand, trust between the author and the audience is a much easier feat to achieve. 

                                                                    Works Cited

Kilgore, E. (2019, August 07). Will the Greens and Libertarians Affect the 2020 Election? Retrieved October 02, 2020, from https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/08/will-the-greens-and-libertarians-affect-the-2020-election.html. 

With that said, I not only conclude my blog but I hope my audience remains safe and enjoys their weekend. Thank you for reading!