A to Z Index | Directories

	The Writing Process
	Types/Styles of Writing
	Plagiarism
	Grammar and Punctuation
	Tips for ESL Writers

	Teaching Documentation
	Incorporating and Using Technology in the Classroom
	Developing a Syllabus and Assignment Sheet
	Evaluating Student Work
	Classroom Management
	Encouraging Group Work
	Encouraging Revision Writing
	Other Teacher Resources

	For Students
	For Teachers

Something to Say: The Position Paper

Choose a side. Draw a line. Make your stand. Take a position.

In the position paper, your objective is threefold:

First, seek out an issue that is important to you.
Then, decide where you stand on that issue.
Now, convince an audience that your position is the correct one.
Reach outward.

Sound daunting? Try these tips to get started:

WHAT? Choosing a Significant Topic

Checklist--For you, the writer:

Pick a topic that interests you. Your level of interest in a topic can make the difference between a learning experience and pure drudgery.
Pick a topic that matters to you. If you don't particularly care, for example, whether or not marijuana is legalized, why write about it? If, on the other hand, you vehemently believe that the government should spend money to attempt to resolve the homeless problem, and you have particular ideas about how the money would be best spent, you've got something to work with.
Pick a topic that allows you to make an innovative contribution to the ongoing dialogue about that subject. Sure, you could patch together an essay on abortion, gun control, or capital punishment from popular opinion and a handful of other people's ideas. But whom does that help? Don't run an already tired argument into the ground. Say something new. Think about the special insights that only you can bring to the issue you choose to address.

Checklist--For your readers:

Consider your audience. Who are they? Will they be interested in your topic?
Consider the significance of your topic beyond a purely personal scope. Why should your topic matter to others?
Consider how your audience will be affected by the problem you choose to address. How will your take on a subject have an impact on their way of thinking?

HOW? Formulating a Thesis

Once you have selected a topic, the next step is developing a strong thesis statement. A thesis statement is a claim you make about your topic; this claim is what you want your readers to believe when they finish your paper. For example, if you want to persuade your audience that students should be allowed to register over the Internet, then this is your thesis statement.

When constructing your thesis, keep these hints in mind:

Your thesis should be arguable. For example, "Strict measures should be taken against air pollution" is not an effective thesis statement precisely because it isn't arguable. No reasonable person would disagree with this; no one advocates air pollution. It may help to think of your thesis in scientific terms. A scientist isn't going to waste lab hours formulating a proof for an undisputed fact; rather, she will spend her time developing proofs for a hypothesis--something that hasn't yet been proven. (Note the root word!)
Your thesis should be specific. In the previous thesis statement, it is unclear what exactly the writer means by "strict measures." A revision is needed to make the thesis explicit. For example: "The government should seek to curb air pollution by imposing a 100% tax on gasoline." Now we, as an audience, know the who, what, and how of the writer's argument--particulars which are crucial to both our interest in and response to the writer's position.
Your thesis should take a clear position; that is, your audience should know where you stand on an issue simply by reading your thesis. Try using the words "should" or "must" in your thesis as a way to clearly articulate your position. For example, look at these arguable, specific, clearly stated thesis sentences:

State and local health care facilities should provide services for the children of illegal immigrants.
State and local health care facilities must not provide services for the children of illegal immigrants.

WHY? Supporting Your Argument

"Don't hit your sister."
"Why not?"
"Because I SAID so, that's why, young lady."

Anyone who's ever had an argument with a parent knows the importance of evidence. The parental reasoning--that the only support needed for the statement "Don't hit your sister" is "Because I SAID so"--may work against a four-year-old, but such logic isn't enough to prove your point in the position paper.

There are many reasons not to hit one's sister: because it's unkind, because it might hurt her, or because she might, in self-defense, bite the hitter and leave a permanent scar. Each of these reasons is much more specific than the parental "Because I SAID so"--and each of these reasons has meaning beyond the authority of the parent.

Writers sometimes fall into the "Because I SAID so" trap. In a position paper, this can best be seen in a lack of evidence; instead of backing up a claim with concrete examples, the writer relies on authorial authority to prove a point. And while this may be enough to satisfy the writer, no reader will be persuaded without concrete reasons.

Some tips for incorporating evidence into your paper:

Get personal. Are there examples from your own experience (or that of someone you know) that would back up your assertions?
Do some reading. What have other people said and written about your topic? Quotations, facts, and documented data can all serve you well.
After you make a statement, ask the question "why?" This will force you to come up with reasons to support that statement. Make sure you have several reasons, though, because the more evidence you have, the more likely your readers will be persuaded to your side.
Use "because" clauses as a way of developing your statements. For example:

The Supreme Court should sanction same-sex marriages.
versus
The Supreme Court should sanction same-sex marriages because the right to marry is a basic civil right, not a special privilege.

In the first statement, we're aware of the writer's position, but we don't know the why of the argument: the writer has fallen into the "Because I SAID so" trap. There's little room for the audience to interact with what's been said--and there's no reason for them to side with the writer. In the second statement, however, we're given a reason that has resonance for the audience. Most audience members will have definite opinions on what "basic civil rights" are--and they'll have definite opinions on who deserves those rights. Now the audience can engage in a dialogue with the writer; they may be persuaded, or they may wholeheartedly disagree with the writer's opinion. But, chances are, they won't be complacent. And, as the writer, neither will you.