The purpose of writing a position paper is to
- Systematize and present your opinions about a problem or an issue
- Provide others with a better understanding of your position
- Offer an extraordinary, unexpected, or radical solution to the problem you are discussing
- Set a context for your problem and provide your audience with a better understanding of the factors affecting it. This is one of the best things you can do for those, who have poor knowledge of the subject and need more evidence to strengthen their views.
- Promote and enhance your credibility
In other words, you are in a position to prove to your audience that you have developed a complete understanding of the issue you are discussing in your work.
Do not hesitate to show how passionate you are about the issue you have selected for your paper.
- Be logical and consistent in arguing your position in the body of your paper.
The stronger evidence you use
The weaker your opponents will be in trying to refute your position.
Instructions:
- Format your position paper according to the requirements provided by your supervisor
- Specify the topic of your work, the issue you are discussing, your name and surname, and other relevant details
- Specify the organization or committee you are representing in your work
- Don’t write more than two pages, even if you have plenty of evidence to support your position
Research:
- Use credible and relevant evidence to support your position and anticipate possible disagreement
- Mind the risks of prejudice and prevent it
- Learn the most important concepts related to your topic and clarify unfamiliar concepts to your audience
- Appeal to those are most likely to accept your point and support your argument
- Learn more about those who disagree and be ready to address their concerns.
Introduction:
Target audience:
Taking into consideration the unique characteristics of your audience, you can begin by developing a strong topic sentence and capturing their attention
You must also provide the audience with a brief review of your position
Development:
Develop three points to support your position
Each point should be followed by
- A statement and its relation to the general problem
- A review and analysis of evidence
- Testimony and expert opinion
- Concluding of transition sentences
Integrate paragraphs into a cohesive narrative
- Use active voice
- Credit expert opinions and cite external sources
- Do not deviate from the main topic or issue
- Be logical in your argumentation
- Do not simply summarize – critique and evaluate
Guide your reader towards a logical conclusion
Conclusion
- Wrap up your main argument
- Revisit the information provided in topic sentences
- Your conclusion must restate the key ideas from the body of the paper
- It must be logical and sequential
