THE

POSITION
PAPER
 What is POSITION PAPER?

 In business and politics,a position

paper is a written report outlining
someone's attitude or intentions regarding
a particular matter.
It is an essay that presents an
arguable opinion about an issue – typically
that of the author or some specified entity
is based on facts that provide a solid
foundation for your argument
 The Parts of A Position
Paper
 An introduction
• Identification of the issue
• Statement of the position
 The body
• Background information
• Supporting evidence or facts
• A discussion of both sides of the issue
 A conclusion
• Suggested courses of action
• Possible solutions
 The introduction should clearly
identify the issue and state the
author’s position. It should be written
in a way that catches the reader’s
attention.
 The body of the position paper may contain
several paragraphs. Each paragraph should
present an idea or main concept that clarifies a
portion of the position statement and is supported
by evidence or facts. Evidence can be primary
source quotations, statistical data, interviews with
experts, and indisputable dates or events.
Evidence Should lead, through inductive
reasoning, to the main concept or idea presented
in the paragraph. The body may begin with some
background information and should incorporate a
discussion of both sides of the issue
 The conclusion should summarize the
main concepts and ideas and reinforce,
without repeating, the introduction or
body of the paper. It could include
suggested courses of action and
possible solutions.
 The steps
in writing a
Position
Paper
 Part One of Four:
Choosing Your Position
1. Make sure your topic is arguable
➡ If you are choosing your own topic, then you will
want to make sure that it has multiple sides. The topic
should be controversial, with at least 2 clear sides.
Sometimes a topic might seem to have 2 sides, but in
actuality most people would agree on 1 side.
 For example, you wouldn’t want to write a paper
arguing that children need proper care, as no one
would disagree with that stance.
 A better topic may be taking a stance on what should
be done if children are not receiving proper care.
2. Research your topic and the alternative sides
➡You need to fully understand your issue in order to choose
and defend a position. Consider the background information,
recent developments, and the reasons behind each side.
Remember to examine at least 2 sides of your issue.Visit
your local library to find books, journals, and newspapers.
 Access online databases, credible websites, and news
sources.
 To decide if a source is credible, look for peer-reviewed
journals, check the credentials of the author, locate the
information in two separate sources, and check the date to
make sure the information is the most recent available.
You should also avoid self-published sources.
3. Make a pros and cons list for at least 2 positions on
your topic
➡Based on your research, write down the reasons for and
against each position that you are considering taking. This will
help you choose a position that is easy to defend using the
evidence that you have collected.
 Looking at both sides not only helps you pick the best
position, it will also help you choose a good counterargument.
[2]

 For example, if you are writing a paper about whether or not

your community should invest in new park equipment, your
two sides would be either in favor of the new park equipment
or against it. A pro of buying new equipment might be
purchasing safer equipment, while a con would be the
expense of the purchase.
4. Think about your views on the issue
➡You may have strong views on the topic, which
could help guide your choice. If you do have an
opinion, make a list of the reasons behind it to
see if they can help you build an argument. [3]
 In some cases, it’s easier to argue a position if
you don’t have strong opinions either way.
This is because you can focus on the evidence,
not on your personal views.
.
5. Consider your audience's views on the topic
➡How your paper is received will depend on the
audience and their stance on the issue. If you are
preparing your paper for a class, it could be helpful to
consider the views of your instructor. Similarly, a paper
such as a policy paper would benefit from localizing the
issue, just as a paper for an international journal would
appeal to more readers if it includes a wider worldview.
[4]

 While you don’t have to change your position to fit

your audience, you may want to adjust your reasons
behind the position or the counter-argument you
choose.
 Part Two of Four:
Building Your Argument
1.Establish your claim
➡Your claim is your position on the topic,
which is what you will defend in your
paper. You should base your claim on
what you can prove with your evidence.
2. Identify your supporting reasons
➡Most position papers provide 2 or 3 supporting reasons
for your claim, but a longer paper may include more
reasons. Your supporting reasons will come directly from
your evidence, so choose statements that you can prove.
[6]

 If possible, look for supporting reasons that are shown

through 2 or more different pieces of evidence, as this
will make your argument stronger.
 Use your assignment sheet or the parameters of your
paper to determine how many supporting reasons you
should include. For many academic papers, you will
use 2 to 3 reasons.
3. Compile your supporting evidence
➡Identify which pieces of evidence you will use to support your
argument, and mark them in a way that is convenient for you.
For example, you could write your citations on index cards for
use while you write the paper, or you could type them directly
into a document and then copy-and-paste them into your paper
when you reach the drafting phase.[7]
 Use an organizing strategy that works for you.
 Compiling your evidence now will help you more easily write
your paper.
 Keep in mind that it is important to cite your sources. If you
use a direct quote from a source, then put it into quotation
marks and identify the author when you use it. If you
paraphrase or summarize something from a source, give
credit to the author for the ideas.
 Don’t go overboard on including evidence! Remember that
most of the ideas in the paper should be your own. It’s good to
quote sources, but avoid quoting entire paragraphs from other
sources. Keep your quotes to a sentence or two and try to
avoid including more than one quote per paragraph.
4. Identify a counter-argument that you can easily
dismiss
➡Using a counter-argument can help you strengthen your claim
because it shows the audience that you have considered other
options. By introducing and then dismissing the counter-
argument, you are showing that your position is the correct one
to take. A good counter-argument is easy to dismiss, allowing
you to refute it using your evidence.[8]
 For example, if you are writing a position paper arguing that
your community should purchase new playground equipment,
your counter-argument could be that the purchase will be too
expensive. To strengthen your argument, you would cite this
possible point against you but show why it's not a valid reason
to dismiss your position. A good way to do that would be to
show that the equipment is worth the expense or that there is
outside funding to pay for it.
 You will also want a piece of evidence that supports your
counter-argument. This evidence, which should be easy to
dismiss, will be included in your paper.
 Part Three of Four:
Drafting Your Paper
1. Develop your thesis
➡Your thesis will control your paper, so you should write it first. For a
position paper, you can vary how you write your thesis. Since you are
using a counter argument, you may only have two supporting points,
depending on the requirements of your paper.
 One easy way to set up your argument in your thesis is to include
both your counter-argument and claim, preceded by the word
“although.” 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.”
 If you’re an expert writer, you may not need to include supporting
reasons in your thesis. For example, “As parents learn the benefits
and dangers of outside play, communities across the nation are
turning their eyes toward their parks, making safe, accessible
equipment a public necessity.”
2. Write your introduction
➡Provide your audience with background information on your
topic, including the history and recent developments. You
should include information that is relevant for your stance,
which will narrow what you tell the reader. For example, if you
are writing a paper about gay marriage in Maine, you would
only include background information relevant to that state.
 Start with a hook that introduces your topic. For example,
you could provide a statistic of how many children are
injured on old playground equipment every year.
 Include a few sentences that provide more information on
your topic, narrowing down toward your stance.
 End your introduction with your thesis.
3. Include at least 2 body paragraphs
➡A short position paper may only contain 2
body paragraphs - one for the counter-argument
and one for the supportive points. However,
most position papers will have 3 or 4 body
paragraphs, with 2 dedicated to supportive
evidence. Depending on the length of your
paper, you may decide to include more.[11]
Follow the requirements for your paper, which
may state how many paragraphs you should
include.
4. Use topic sentences that link back to your
thesis
➡Each body paragraph should begin with a topic
sentence. The topic sentence is like a mini-thesis that
controls your whole paragraph. Your topic sentence
should introduce what you will talk about in the
paragraph, whether it’s the counter-argument or one of
your supporting reasons.[12]
 For example, you could write: “Installing new
playground equipment would make the park more
inclusive for special needs children because updated
designs are accessible to those who are differently
abled.”
5. Provide evidence to support your
position
➡Each of your reasons needs at least 1 piece of
evidence, though using more evidence will
strengthen your argument. Pull your evidence
from your research, focusing on the following: [13]
 Facts
 Statistics
 Quotes
 Documented stories
6. Provide commentary to explain your evidence
➡Commentary explains to the reader why your
evidence supports your reason and your position, so
your commentary should clearly explain the link
between your evidence and thesis. In your own words,
tell the reader what you want them to take away from
this piece of evidence, and why it proves that you are
correct. You should include 2 to 5 sentences of
commentary for each piece of evidence. [14]
 Without commentary, there is no link between your
evidence and your position, leaving your argument
weak.
7. Conclude your essay by reasserting your position
➡A strong conclusion restates your position and the reasons
why it’s the correct viewpoint. You will summarize your
argument and briefly dismiss your counter-argument. In a
position paper, you’ll also want to end with a call to action. [15]
 Restate your thesis. 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."
 Sum up your argument.
 End on a high note with a call to action. For example,
"Children need a safe, accessible place to play, so the only
choice is to install new park equipment in Quimby Park."
8. Cite your sources
➡Since your position paper will contain
evidence, you need to include where you
sourced that information. Follow the preferred
citation style of the recipient of your paper,
whether that’s an instructor, organization,
journal, or other entity.[16]
 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.
 Part Four of Four:
Revising and Editing Your Paper

1. Use your spell check tool

➡The spell check tool is the easiest way to avoid
misspellings, and it’s available on most word
processors. Remember that you will still need to
proofread your paper because the spell check tool
will not catch words that are spelled correctly but
used incorrectly, such as “form” instead of “from.”
 Before you change a word, re-read the sentence
to make sure that the new suggestion fits. The
spell checker may think that you mean one
thing, while you really mean something else.
2. Take a break from your paper
➡Go for a walk, eat a snack, take a nap, or
participate in a relaxing hobby. Your brain
needs rest before you try to edit your paper.
By stepping away, you’ll have more insight
into gaps in your argument and whether or
not your sentences make sense.
 Waiting at least a day is best. If you are
short on time, wait at least 30 minutes
before reviewing what you’ve written.
3. Re-read your paper with fresh
eyes
➡Read through your paper as a reader
rather than the writer. Identify your
claim, counter-argument, and support.
Look for areas that need development or
additional evidence. Mark sentences that
need to be rewritten to streamline or
provide more clarity.[17]
 If possible, have a friend or mentor
read your paper and suggest edits or
revisions.
4. Revise your paper
➡Start by making any additions, such as more
evidence to support your argument or additional
commentary. Make sure that your argument is
clear, supported by evidence, and restated in the
conclusion. Then go back through your paper and
rewrite awkward sentences, as well as sentence
fragments and run-ons.[18]
 Combine short, choppy sentences, and break
up long sentences.
 Fix sentence fragments and run-ons.
5. Proofread your paper to make
final edits
➡Check your final draft for typos,
misspellings that the spell check tool
missed, and any remaining grammar
issues.[19]
 If possible, ask a friend or mentor to
proofread your final draft. They may be
able to spot errors that you don’t see.
6. Prepare your works cited page, 
bibliography, or references page
➡Since you will likely be using evidence,
you will need to include a page listing all
of your sources. You should prepare this
page using the style manual prefered by
your instructor.
7. Format your paper to fit your
instructor’s requirements
Consult your assignment sheet, syllabus, or the
parameters of the paper for how you should
format your paper. Adjust the margins, font
size, and spacing to match the format
requirements. Then add your heading and page
numbers.
 If you are presenting or turning in a printed
paper, check to see if you should place it in a
presentation folder.
 Example
of a Position
Paper
 CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN POVERTY:
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY

Poverty and doing poorly in school often go hand-

in-hand. Children and youth who do poorly in school often
do not finish their education. They become less
employable. They are more apt to become a social burden
and are more apt to perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
1. Children and youth in poverty frequently live in cities or
rural areas, and where there is a high
concentration of poor families. Schools with a higher
poverty level tend to have lower achievement
statistics. These school districts often do not have local
resources to provide anything more than minimal
services for their low achieving population.
2. Children and youth in poverty often receive fewer educational
resources; are taught in overcrowded, dilapidated surroundings; and
are sometimes taught by less-qualified teachers who maintain lower
expectations, use developmentally and culturally inappropriate
curricular materials, and have little resource
or time or energy to address the needs of these children and youth.
3. Many children and youth are educationally disadvantaged. One in
five public school students in the State of
New York live in poverty. Lower performing schools tend to have higher
concentrations of minority students and children and youth in poverty.
New York State PTA believes that schools reflect our
democratic heritage and must take a leadership role in
breaking the cycle of poverty. New York State PTA accepts the
opportunity and the responsibility to advocate for
the educational needs of all children and youth and their families in
today’s demanding world. In collaboration with
other organizations, we can impact public policy to address the human
and financial resources needed for each child
to achieve his or her potential.
New York State PTA requests that its membership:
Urge school board members and school administrators to:
1. Foster community-wide expectations that schools have a responsibility
to teach all children and youth;
2. Set policy to protect children and youth from discriminatory discipline
or educational placement;
3. Develop and recommend budgets that equitably allocate resources for
all programs and in all schools within the school district;
4. Set policies to provide information to parents regarding the educational
program of their children and youth and to provide for parental input in
the decision-making processes;
5. Develop programs to meet the needs of all children and youth keeping
high expectations for each child;
6. Develop and monitor individual student achievement with sensitivity to
individual learning modes, cultural and economic backgrounds.
Expect principals to:
1. Structure the school’s organization and encourage the teaching staff to
address the many different learning situations for the child who is
educationally disadvantaged;
2. Emphasize in-service education in the areas of classroom management
and the development of instructional skills for working with children
and youth who live in poverty and are educationally
disadvantaged;
3. Develop and recommend budgets that equitably allocate resources for all programs and
in all schools
within the school district;
4. Set policies to provide information to parents regarding the educational program of their
children and youth and to provide for parental input in the decision-making processes;
5. Develop programs to meet the needs of all children and youth keeping high
expectations for each child;
6. Develop and monitor individual student achievement with sensitivity to individual
learning modes, cultural and economic backgrounds.
Expect principals to:
1. Structure the school’s organization and encourage the teaching staff to address the
many different learning
situations for the child who is educationally disadvantaged;
2. Emphasize in-service education in the areas of classroom management and the
development of instructional skills for working with children and youth who live in poverty
and are educationally disadvantaged;
3. Develop and recommend budgets that equitably allocate resources for all programs and
in all schools within the school district;
4. Set policies to provide information to parents regarding the educational program of their
children and youth
and to provide for parental input in the decision-making processes;
5. Develop programs to meet the needs of all children and youth keeping high
expectations for each child;
6. Develop and monitor individual student achievement with sensitivity to individual
learning modes, cultural
and economic backgrounds.
Ask teachers to:
1. Hold consistent, high expectations for all children and youth;
2. Recognize the individual needs of all children and youth;
3. Respect student diversity;
4. Communicate with parents on a regular basis and encourage their
cooperation.
Encourage parents to:
1. Hold consistent, high expectations for all children and youth;
2. Be active education partners by communicating, advocating, and
supporting programs for children and
youth in poverty.
Call upon legislators to:
1. Provide equitable distribution of funds, employing the “leveling
up” concept;
2. Provide financial incentives to maintain funding for successful
programs and maintain the physical plant to meet the program
needs;
3. Urge an increase in federal dollars to supplement and not supplant
state and local intervention programs.
1. Tucker, Kerry, & Derelian, Doris, Rouner, Donna. (1997). Building
the case: Position papers, backgrounders, fact sheets, and
biographical sketches. In Public relations writing: An issue-driven
behavioral approach (pp.79-85). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall.
2. Axelrod, Rise B., & Cooper, Charles
R. (1993). R. Position paper (pp.446-451). In Reading critically,
writing well: A reader and guide. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
3. Hansen, Kristine. (1998). Public position papers and opinion
pieces. In A rhetoric for the social sciences: A guide to academic
and professional communication (pp. 301-306). Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
4. Kashatus, William C. (2002). Present history: Position and local
history research papers. In Past, present and personal (pp. 46-48).
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
 f o r
y o u
n k
h a i n g
T t ch
w a
 Group 5
Leader:
 Andales, Jezebel
Assistant Leader:
 Apatan, Japet
Members:
 Quisa-ot, Janrey
 Clarian, Henry
 Nuevo, Geraldine
 Sadagnot, Neil
 Corpus, Ariel
 Faburada, Jeremie