LibGuides: English Research: Entering the Conversation

What Does It Mean?

Entering the conversation revolves around the idea that all topics are surrounded by preexisting conversations about that topic. Other authors have already established a context for a particular topic, and it's important to situate your own ideas in this context, whether you're agreeing or disagreeing with an existing idea, making a commentary on existing ideas, or presenting a new perspective.

Introduction to They Say, I Say
Follow the link to read more about "entering the conversation" as explained by author Gerald Graff.

Watch this video for an overview of what it means to enter/join the conversation from the perspective of research and writing.

How Do I Do It?

Entering a conversation requires:

Finding sources that are relevant to your topic.
Reading the sources carefully to understand the main ideas.
Look for overlaps in the sources:
1. Do any authors bring up the same points?
2. Do they agree or disagree?
3. Why does an author bring up a specific point, and how can you relate it to your own ideas about the topic?

For further guidance on how to enter the conversation, refer to the resources below:

Exploring College Writing: Reading, Writing and Researching Across the Curriculum by Dan Melzer (p. 242)
This link takes you directly to page 242 of Exploring College Writing: Reading, Writing and Researching Across the Curriculum. This section covers integrating and responding to sources, a critical part of entering the conversation.
To access the ebook, you'll need to login with your library ID.
Identifying a Conversation by Jason Carabelli
This article, courtesy of Writing Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), reviews how to identify existing conversations and piece them together to support your own ideas.