PAGADIAN DIOCESAN SCHOOLS

HOLY CHILD’S ACADEMY

Pagadian City

T E A C H E R ‘S L E A R N I N G P L A N I N READING AND WRITING

Name:
Lesson #: 4.1 Topic: Purposeful Writing in the Disciplines and for Professions (POSITION
PAPER)
Content Standards: The learner understands the requirements of composing academic writing and professional
correspondence.
Performance Standards: The learner produces each type of academic writing and professional correspondence
following the properties of well written texts and process approach to writing.
Learning Competencies: At the end of this module, you can:
explain how one’s purpose is a crucial consideration in academic and professional writing
[EN11/12RWS-IVdg-11]
identify the unique features of and requirements in composing texts that are useful across disciplines
[EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12]
Position Paper [EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12.5]

Reference/s:https://www.feu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Grade-11-Developing-Academic-Writing-
Skills.pdf
Values: Critical thinking, honesty, and integrity

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS IT?

A position paper (sometimes position piece for brief items) is an essay that presents an arguable opinion
about an issue – typically that of the author or some specified entity. Position papers are published in
academia, in politics, in law and other domains.

T or F

Directions: Write T if the statement is true and F if false.

_________ 1. A good position paper considers all possible views on the issue at hand.

_________ 2. An issue is a crucial component of a position paper.

_________ 3. An issue is debatable if it cannot be answered by yes or no.

_________ 4. Audience analysis will help you write a more persuasive position paper.

_________ 5. One way to establish your credibility as a writer is to boast about your credentials.

_________ 6. Opinions are better than facts in supporting arguments.

_________ 7. Statistics can be used as evidence to support an arguments.

_________ 8. The main goal of a position paper is to inform readers.

_________ 9. The strongest type of appeal in a position paper is logical appeal.

_________ 10. Your position should be restated in the concluding paragraph.

_________ 11. The content of a position should have only one paragraph.

_________ 12. The most important thing in writing your position paper is how many sources you have to
support your argument.

_________ 13. A position paper must answer specific questions vital in presenting your argument.
_________ 14 . The purpose of a position paper is to generate more issues.

_________ 15. In the position paper you should validate your position with authoritative references or
primary source quotations

INTERACTION
Concept Notes:
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 course of action.

Parts of a Position Paper

1. Introduction

 Write the specific issue, together with its importance and effect to the society.

 Uses a lead that grabs the attention of readers.

 Defines the issue and provide a thorough background.

 Provides a general statement of your position through a thesis statement.

 End the introductory paragraph with a position statement or a stand on the issue. Keep in mind
that one could take only one side of the argument.

2. Body

 The part may have several paragraphs. It may begin with short background information or a
discussion of arguments on both sides of the issue. In each paragraph, an explanation or
observation to clarify the portion of the position statement must be written and then followed by
the supporting evidence.

 State your main arguments and provide sufficient evidence.

 The evidences that can be used are the primary source quotation, interviews with field experts,
recommendation from scholarly articles and position papers, historical dates or events, and
statistical data.

 Provides counterarguments against possible weaknesses of your arguments.

3. Conclusion

 On the last part of writing the paper, summarize and reinforce the concepts and facts presented
without repeating the introduction and its content. It is also optional to include the procedure used
to deal with the issue and your

suggested possible solution or recommendation.

 Explains why your position is better than any other position.

 Ends with a powerful closing statement (e.g., a quotation, a challenge, or a question)

Choosing an Issue

1. The issue should be debatable. You cannot take any position if the topic is not debatable.

2. The issue should be current and relevant.

3. The issue should be written in a question form and answerable by yes or no.

4. 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, interest, and
motivations.

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 possible. This will make your tone dynamic andfirm.

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. Ethical appeals relate to yourcredibility and
competence as writer, logical appeal refers to the rational approach in developing and argument;
emotional appeals pertain to feelings

evoked during arguments. Make sure to check your appeals to ensure that they are not fallacious.

Activities:
ACTIVITY 1: I INSPECT

Directions: Read the sample position paper. Then answer the questions that follow.
Committee: General Assembly
Topic: Global Warming
Country: The Kingdom of Sweden
Delegates: *****************
Global warming’s effects and influence on the global climate is visible all around
us now. As time has passed in the past century, Arctic ice has begun to gradually melt and
sea levels have started to rise. If this situation continues, then low-lying island nations such
as Vanuatu and Maldives will sink into the sea and will simply disappear.
Also, climate is changing in many parts of the world because of global warming.
For example, acid rain damaging soils and forests, particularly in our country, serious
droughts in Australia, and abnormal weather patterns all over the world. These things are
not naturally occurring phenomena – they were caused by human actions. Our nation is
addressing global warming on a domestic level. For example, we are separating household
waste and recycling as much as we can, and are imposing taxes on CO2 emissions. Out
carbon dioxide emissions are 0.4% of the global total.
We are raising public awareness of the environmental problems they will face in the
future, and we hope that our people will address this issue. But individual nations cannot
succeed – the only way to secure our future is if we can get a consensus of nations to take
action to reduce these effects. Humans caused this problem and ultimately they must
address and deal with it.
We must, as global citizens, address this problem actively. Thank you.

Reading Comprehension
1. What is the issue taken up in the position paper?
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2. Do you agree with the assertions made in the article? Explain
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3. Does the writer make a strong stand about the issue presented? How did he/she convince
the reader to believe in his/her claim?
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ACTIVITY 2: WRITING POSITION PAPER

Directions: Write a position paper. Research evidences to support your claim on the issue provided
below.

Should parents limit teenager’s use of Social Media?

Issue
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Processing Question:

Content Question
1. When writing a position paper, how important is it to fact check sources?
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INTEGRATION

Reflection Guide:

The school and wider academic community is built on shared values and norms of behavior, including
honesty, fairness and responsibility; given today’s learning set-up which is modular distance learning,
how do you maintain such academic integrity upon answering your learning modules? Share an instance
wherein you have kept your integrity despite the rampant spread of academic dishonesty.

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Post – assessment:
Directions: Based on your answer on the Pre-assessment part, create a cohesive list of features that a
Position Paper should have.