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Tips to make your paper polished & persuasive
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A position paper explains a person or organization's stance on a specific issue. The goal of the paper is to provide convincing evidence to readers that your position is the correct one. If you've been assigned to write a position paper for school or an organization, this article will make the process much clearer! Read on for easy-to-follow steps on writing a position paper , formatting it , and following a sample outline . We'll also include tips for writing a persuasive position paper and explain how it's different from an argumentative essay.
How to Write a Position Paper: Quick Tips
- Choose and research an issue to write about.
- Develop a thesis declaring your position on the issue.
- Gather supporting evidence for your position.
- Research opposing positions and counterarguments.
- Write an outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
- Compose your first draft, then revise and edit to prepare the final paper.
Steps
Section 1 of 6:
How to Write a Position Paper
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Choose and research an issue to write about. Look at trending topics on Google, the news, or scholarly journals for issues you're interested in. After picking an issue, research its history, recent developments, potential obstacles to fixing it, and different arguments or positions other people and organizations have taken on it. Remember to examine at least 2 sides of the issue.
- Looking at all sides and perspectives of an issue not only helps you pick the best position, but also helps you choose good counterarguments later.
- If your teacher or organization assigned you an issue to write about, research that instead.
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Develop a thesis declaring your position on the issue. Your thesis is your position on the issue in 1-2 sentences, which is what you'll defend with evidence in your paper. [1] X Research source When you're creating a thesis, think about how it addresses the arguments or solves the problems you discovered during research. Additionally, decide what you think is the practical or moral stance to take based on your own opinions and experiences. Just keep in mind that whatever thesis you come up with, you must be able to defend it with supportive evidence.Advertisement
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Gather supporting evidence for your position. Look for documents and data that support your thesis, so your readers feel confident in siding with you on this issue. [2] X Research source These can include quotes from experts, books, peer-reviewed scholarly articles, news articles published by credible media outlets, government reports, and survey results.
- Access scholarly articles in online databases like JSTOR .
- Find government data reports by visiting the website for the specific department that published it (e.g., the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ). These sites always have ".gov" at the end of the URL.
- To decide if a source is credible , check the author's credentials, locate the information in 2 separate sources, and check the date to make sure the information it contains is the most up-to-date.
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4Research opposing positions and counterarguments. Spend some time researching common counterarguments to your position. What claims (and supporting evidence) could your opponents make that might make it seem like you didn't think your thesis through? Make a list of them and then look for evidence that refutes those claims. You'll include all this information in your paper to help strengthen your stance. [3] X Research source
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5Write an outline for your position paper. In some cases, your instructor or the organization you're writing the position paper for may give you a structure to follow. If they don't, here's a sample outline you can use during the writing process to help you organize all your most important points for your readers: [4] X Research source
- Introduction (1 paragraph with a brief description of the issue and your thesis)
- Body paragraphs (1-4 paragraphs for describing relevant background information, supporting evidence for your thesis, and counterarguments)
- Conclusion (1 paragraph summarizing your thesis and the arguments you used to support it)
- Reference List or Works Cited page
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6Write the first draft. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, length, or how good your position sounds in the first draft. Instead, focus on getting your thesis, arguments, counterarguments, and supporting evidence on paper. Then, organize the draft following your outline. [5] X Research source
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Revise and prepare the final draft. After you're finished with the first draft, read it and identify ways you can make your points clearer and easier to understand. This is also a good time to strengthen any arguments you think sound too weak and find more supporting evidence (if needed). Then go back through your paper and rewrite awkward sentences, as well as sentence fragments and run-ons. [6] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- If possible, ask a friend or mentor to read your paper and suggest edits or revisions.
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Section 3 of 6:
Position Paper Sample Outline
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Introduction Take 1 paragraph to briefly introduce the issue you're discussing, along with some background information to help the audience understand why it's important. At the end of the paragraph, state your thesis, so that readers know your position on the matter right away. [8] X Research source
- Use a fact or a piece of data to hook your readers in and underscore how important the issue is going to be. For example, you could provide a statistic of how many children are injured on old playground equipment every year.
- Consider preceding your thesis with a counterargument to show how strongly you believe in your position. For example: "Although installing new playground equipment in the park will be expensive, new playground equipment would provide a safe play area for children and offer options for special needs children."
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Body paragraphs Most position papers have 3 body paragraphs: 1 for communicating essential background information (i.e., the history of the issue, what policymakers have done about it so far, etc.), 1 for your position's supporting evidence, and 1 for addressing and striking down counterarguments. [9] X Research source Depending on the length of your paper, you may decide to include more.
- Follow the requirements for your paper from your instructor or organization, which may state how many paragraphs you should include.
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Conclusion Conclude your position paper in 1 paragraph by reasserting your position. Summarize your argument and briefly dismiss your counter-argument. [10] X Research source According to English Language Arts teacher Diane Stubbs, this is also a good time to recommend any specific policies or solutions "if you want change to occur."
- Restate your thesis. "It doesn't have to be word for word," says Stubbs. For example, "While new playground equipment is expensive, it's worth the investment because it serves the best interests of the community by providing children with a safe area to play and making the park more accessible for special needs children."
- End by recommending ways to solve the issue that align with your position (if you desire). For example: "Children need a safe, accessible place to play, so the only choice is to install new park equipment in Quimby Park."
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References Since your position paper will contain evidence, include a Works Cited or Reference List at the end of the paper to tell the reader where you got your information. Follow the preferred citation style of the recipient of your paper, whether that’s an instructor, organization, journal, or other entity. [11] X Research source
- If you don’t cite your sources , then you will be guilty of plagiarism. You could lose credit or face harsher penalties if you are caught stealing someone else’s words or ideas.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I use the word I in a position paper?Community AnswerYou should avoid using the word "I" in any formal paper, including a position paper.
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QuestionWhere should I place the thesis statement? At the very beginning of the paper?Community AnswerAt the end of the introduction and then again at the beginning of the conclusion. Also, the body paragraphs should all link back to the thesis.
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QuestionWays to read position paper?Community AnswerFirst, try to identify the claim. Then, identify the counter-argument and the supporting reasons. Next, look for the evidence that supports the counter-argument and supporting reasons. Based on this evidence, determine if the paper provided sufficient evidence to support the claim.
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Tips
- Write in the third-person perspective to sound more objective and formal.Thanks
- Stay focused on your thesis throughout your paper and ensure all the evidence you present supports your claim.Thanks
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Warnings
- Avoid plagiarism by referencing and citing your sources.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://webs.anokaramsey.edu/stankey/Writing/Argument/Arg_Nts3.htm
- ↑ https://www.agnesscott.edu/center-for-writing-and-speaking/handouts/writing-effective-position-papers.html
- ↑ https://www.agnesscott.edu/center-for-writing-and-speaking/handouts/writing-effective-position-papers.html
- ↑ https://bowiestate.libguides.com/c.php?g=442189&p=3014828
- ↑ https://mc.libguides.com/c.php?g=39012&p=247994
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html
- ↑ https://stgeorges.libguides.com/modelun/formatting
- ↑ https://bowiestate.libguides.com/c.php?g=442189&p=3014828
- ↑ https://bowiestate.libguides.com/c.php?g=442189&p=3014828
- ↑ https://bowiestate.libguides.com/c.php?g=442189&p=3014828
- ↑ https://stgeorges.libguides.com/modelun/formatting
- ↑ https://www.agnesscott.edu/center-for-writing-and-speaking/handouts/writing-effective-position-papers.html
- ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/proofreading
- ↑ https://webs.anokaramsey.edu/stankey/Writing/Argument/Arg_Nts3.htm
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Article Summary
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If you need to write a position paper, choose a topic that has at least 2 clear sides, then pick one of those sides as your position. Gather research from books, newspapers, academic journals, online databases, and other credible sources, making sure to cover your own position and at least one opposing side. Open your paper by stating your claim, or the position you have taken, then offer at least 2 pieces of evidence to support that stance. Identify and dismiss a counter-argument to your position as well. For tips on how to use topic sentences to link your paragraphs to your thesis, read on!
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