A position paper outlines an argument for one side of an issue. It includes understanding the topic, ensuring the topic is arguable, listing advantages and disadvantages of both sides, picking a position and supporting points, considering the audience's position, and organizing the paper with an introduction, body paragraphs supporting the chosen position and counterarguments, and a conclusion that restates the position.
A position paper outlines an argument for one side of an issue. It includes understanding the topic, ensuring the topic is arguable, listing advantages and disadvantages of both sides, picking a position and supporting points, considering the audience's position, and organizing the paper with an introduction, body paragraphs supporting the chosen position and counterarguments, and a conclusion that restates the position.
A position paper outlines an argument for one side of an issue. It includes understanding the topic, ensuring the topic is arguable, listing advantages and disadvantages of both sides, picking a position and supporting points, considering the audience's position, and organizing the paper with an introduction, body paragraphs supporting the chosen position and counterarguments, and a conclusion that restates the position.
A position paper outlines an argument for one side of an issue. It includes understanding the topic, ensuring the topic is arguable, listing advantages and disadvantages of both sides, picking a position and supporting points, considering the audience's position, and organizing the paper with an introduction, body paragraphs supporting the chosen position and counterarguments, and a conclusion that restates the position.
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How to Write a Position Paper
• What is a position paper?
• Before you get to writing a position paper, it is good to
understand vividly how to define a position paper. Many individuals confuse a position paper for being just a report like any other whereas a position paper entails the writer lying on one side of the issue under discussion • While writing a position paper, you need to give your position on the issue at hand. A position paper can be written in different incidents such as in a discussion of international challenges affecting different nations and formulation of policies to curb the issues. • In the case of the formulation of international policies, you can even be required by the members of the conference to forward your paper even before the meeting so that the direction of the debate can be determined and set at an early stage. A position paper can also be written in the case of institutions’ meetings while addressing different issues affecting the organization. How to write a position paper • After getting the meaning of a position paper, we can now proceed on how to go about in writing a position paper. Below are some of the guide before writing your paper: • • Understanding the topic given- in most cases you will be given the topic that you are supposed to discuss, and it is your responsibility as a participant to understand the topic first before you take a position on the matter. When you fail to understand the topic well, you may end up giving points that do not display your position. In the understanding of the topic, you can go ahead and conduct some research on the topic just to be certain of the points that you will come up with. • • Ensure your topic can easily be arguable- in some incidents, you may be asked to pick on a topic to write on for your position paper. Many topics can be used for argument purposes especially current trends and issues affecting the society today. You should be able to go for a topic that has points and can bring contradiction to arise argument. When you go for a common topic where most people would lie on one side of your stand then that is not a good topic, 9 a good topic should have almost similar points on both sides of the argument to bring a healthy conversation of the parties involved. • List the advantages and disadvantages for both sides of the argument- when you list the advantages and disadvantages of two different sides of the argument you will be able to pick the best position that you can confidently argue. • Pick your position and formulate your points- in a position paper you have to take a position in the argument. Ensure that you have sufficient points to support your position. • Understand your audience position on the matter- it is also good to understand where your audience is placed in the argument so that you can design your arguments to satisfy them on the points you try to bring out. To make your paper outstand you should: • Design an official look for your paper- in being official you only need to be realistic in your arguments so that the readers can easily be convinced with your points without much questioning. • Make it as simple as possible- in a presentation of your claims you should ensure that you are direct to the point and avoid unclear explanations because it makes your work tiresome to read. Be clear by using simple, understandable language, avoid too much use of vocabulary in your work. • Be organized in the presentation of your points- you should be able to know which point comes first and ensure each idea is placed in its paragraph. This will also help your paper have an official look. • Put references for your points- citing your sources is very key as it gives your points a higher hand over the rest given that it can be refereed hence valid. • Go through your paper after completing- it is good to proofread your work as it will enable you to see some common mistakes made and you can also change the flow of points to be persuasive to your audience. Position Paper Outline • How to organize your position paper? Follow these easy steps to develop your position paper. This outline helps you organize your paper as easy as 123 1. Introduction • Present your topic. Say why it is worth discussing, its history. Dwell on its controversies. Make a thesis statement that would express your opinion in one sentence. 2. Body • Present a prevailing opinion on the issue, main arguments, what they are based on.
• Counter the arguments with your own opinion, backed up by reliable
data you have found during the preliminary research. Keep in mind that you should present as many counter-arguments as there are pro- arguments. So, if you have 3 statements that support an idea you disagree with, you should provide three opposing statements and prove why they are worth considering. 3. Conclusion • Restate both opinions. Give a summary of what you argue for. Provide a strategy that would help resolve the issue.