What is a Position Paper?
A Position Paper is a common type of academic argument writing assignment. Typically, a Position Paper is written after reading about and discussing a particular issue. Quite often, the readings cover more than one issue, and as a writer you must choose a particular area of focus. The central goal of writing a position paper is not only to state and defend your position on the issue but also to show how your stance relates to other positions. As we write the Position Paper, we will continue to practice skills such as articulating a thesis statement that contains an overall claim, developing an argument with reasons and evidence, and using transitions and reader cues for coherence. We will also introduce the following skills:
- identifying issues in a set of readings
- collecting information from readings on a particular issue
- positioning one’s claim in relation to other positions on the issue
- documenting sources using MLA in-text citations and works cited
- choosing an effective organizational strategy
- researching the library and Internet for sources
Requirements:
- Length: 4-6 pages
- Workshop and final draft: typed, double spaced, 1-inch margins, 10-12 point legible font
- Find an article from a periodical or the Internet relevant to your issue.
- Submit final draft in pocket folder with all drafts, workshop comments, notes, collecting, photocopy(ies) of outside written source(s), homework not yet collected, postscript.
Purpose
The purpose of a position paper is to generate support on an issue. It describes the author’s position on an issue and the rational for that position and, in the same way that a research paper incorporates supportive evidence, is based on facts that provide a solid foundation for the author’s argument. It is a critical examination of a position using facts and inductive reasoning, which addresses both strengths and weaknesses of the author’s opinion.
Elements of the Position Paper
The classic position paper contains three main elements:
- An Introduction, which identifies the issue that will be discussed and states the author’s position on that issue.
- The Body of the paper, which contains the central argument and can be further broken up into three unique sections:
- Background information
- Evidence supporting the author’s position
- A discussion of both sides of the issue, which addresses and refutes arguments that contradict the author’s position
- A Conclusion, restating the key points and, where applicable, suggesting resolutions to the issue.
References:
https://writing.colostate.edu/index.cfm
https://bowiestate.libguides.com/c.php?g=442189&p=3014828
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