POSITION PAPER C

Louella Novela & Moira Anduyan

What is a position paper?
• A position paper is a type of academic writing that presents
one’s stand or viewpoint on a particular issue. The main objective
of writing a position paper is to take part in a larger debate by
stating your arguments and proposed coarse of action.
Parts of a Position Paper
1. Introduction
• Uses a lead that grabs the attention of readers.
• Defines the issue and provides a thorough background.
• Provides a general statement of your position through a thesis
statement.
Parts of a Position Paper
2. Body
• States your main arguments and provide sufficient evidence (e.
g. statistics, interviews with experts, and testimonies) for each
argument.
• Provides counterarguments against possible weaknesses of your
arguments.
Parts of a Position Paper
3. Conclusion
• Restates your position and main arguments.
• Suggests a coarse of action.
• Explains why your position is better than any other position.
• Ends with a powerful closing statement (e. g. quotation, a
challenge, or a question).
Choosing an Issue
• The issue should be debatable. You cannot take any position if
the topic is not debatable.
• The issue should be current and relevant.
• The issue should be written in a question form and answerable by
yes or no.
• The issue should be specific and manageable.
 Guidelines in Writing a Position Paper
1. Begin the writing process with an in-depth research about the
issue at hand.
2. Be aware of the various positions about the issue and explain and
analyze them objectively.
3. Reflect on your position and identify its weaknesses.
4. Establish your credibility by citing reliable sources.
5. Present a unique way of approaching the issue.
6. Limit your position paper to two pages.
7. Analyze your target readers and align your arguments to their
beliefs, needs, interests, and motivation.
 Guidelines in Writing a Position Paper
8. Summarize the other side’s counterarguments and refute them with
evidence.
9. Define unfamiliar terms at first mention.
10. Use an active voice as much as possible. This will make your tone
dynamic and firm.
11. Arrange your evidence logically using an inductive or deductive
approach.
12. Check your paper for fallacies and revise accordingly.
13. Use ethical, logical, and emotional appeals. Make sure to check
your appeals to ensure that they are not fallacious.
Types of Appeals
• Ethical appeals relate to your credibility and competence as
writer.
• Logical appeal refers to the rational approach in developing an
argument.
• Emotional appeals pertain to feelings evoked during arguments.