Respond to a likely objection or alternative judgment.

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For more on idea-generating strategies, see Chapter 11; for more on conducting research, see Chapter 24.

Start by identifying an objection or an alternative judgment you expect some readers to raise. To come up with likely objections or alternative judgments, you might try the following:

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Then figure out whether to concede or refute a likely objection or alternative judgment. You may be able simply to acknowledge an objection or alternative judgment. But if the criticism is serious, consider conceding the point and qualifying your judgment. You might also try to refute an objection or alternative judgment by arguing that the standards you are using are appropriate and important. Use the following strategies for generating ideas and sentences as a jumping-off point, and revise them later to make them your own.

Ways In

HOW CAN I RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO MY READERS?

  1. Start by listing objections you expect readers to have as well as their preferred alternative judgments. In the Ways In activity on p. 386, you considered your readers and the criteria they are likely to favor. If their criteria differ from yours, you may need to explain or defend your criteria.
  2. Analyze your list of objections and alternative judgments to determine which are likely to be most powerful for your readers.
  3. Draft refutations and concession statements:

To Refute

  • X, reviewer for , claims that . But I agree with Y, reviewer for , who argues that .
  • Some people think is [alternative judgment] because of , , and [reasons]. Although one can see why they might make this argument, the evidence does not back it up because .
  • Reviewers have remarked that is a pale imitation of [comparable subject]. I disagree. Whereas [comparable subject] is , is .
  • This has generated criticism for its supposed . But is not . Instead, it is .
  • In contrast to popular opinion, a recent study of showed that .

To Concede

  • Indeed, the more hard-core [name enthusiasts] may carp that is not sufficiently [shortcomings].
  • The one justifiable criticism that could be made against is .
  • As some critics have pointed out, follows the tried-and-true formula of .

To Concede and Refute

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Frequently, writers concede a point only to come back with a refutation. To make the concession-refutation move, follow concessions like those above with sentences that begin with a transition like but, however, yet, or nevertheless, and then explain why you believe that your interpretation or position is more powerful or compelling.

  • As some critics have pointed out, follows the tried-and-true formula of . Still, the [director/writer/artist] is using the formula effectively to .

For more on the concession-refutation move, see Chapter 6, 282–84.

Research Note: You may want to return to this activity after conducting further research. (For example, when he researched published reviews of Scott Pilgrim, student William Akana found objections to his argument as well as alternative judgments he could quote and refute.)