What is your position on this issue or question?

Learning Goal: I’m working on a writing report and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

Position Paper Requirements

For this assignment, you will take a stand on a specific issue or question. You will write an essay that clearly states your position, backs up your stand with evidence from at least five sources, and takes opposing views into account. Your essay should be at least four to five complete pages (not counting headings, page numbers, and references/Works Cited page) and written for an audience that disagrees with your position.

Be sure to pick a question or issue that is important to you. Do not pick an issue just because you think it will be easy to argue. If you are bored with your topic, it will show in your writing.

Things to Consider:

• What is your position on this issue or question?
  • What background information do you need to provide to your audience about this issue?
  • What reasons and evidence would best reach your intended audience?
  • What would be the best sources for information on this issue?
  • What are some probable counter-arguments to your position? How would you respond to these arguments?

Setting up the paper:

1. 1. Describe the issue
   2. Explain why the reader should care about it
   3. Explain why there is a controversy about it
   4. Stake out a position on the issue
   5. Explain why you take this position
   6. Give arguments to bolster your position.
   7. Support these arguments with research.
   8. Acknowledge the opposition
   9. Show how or why an INTELLIGENT person would disagree.
   10. Show the opposition’s research.
   11. Respond to the objections of intelligent people.
   12. Answer their charges, expose the flaws in their thinking, offer documented statistics and other data that refute their arguments
   13. Document the superior nature of your own arguments (support with the arguments of the authorities with whom you agree)
   14. Conclude with the strongest evidence for your position

Any paper that uses information from a source, including paraphrasing, summarizing, or cutting and pasting, without correctly citing that source in the text of the paper and in a Works Cited page will receive an automatic “F”.

Papers should follow these elements:

Formatting:

– 4-5 pages, typed (the Work Cited page does not count as a page)

– MLA formatting

– Proper MLA header

– 12-point size

– Times or New Times Roman font

– Double-spaced

– No extra spacing between paragraphs

– Microsoft Word document (either .doc or .docx)

– Proper Margins (allow Word’s default to be your guide)

Citations:

– Citations in all paragraphs (besides intro and conclusion)

– MLA short titles (one or two words at most in parenthetical citations)

– Proper use of signal phrases for added credibility of sources

Restrictions:

– No use of first-person

– (Only acceptable if the source uses it in one of your quotes)

– Do not use Word’s citation manager or MLA formatting

– No cover page

– No improper margins

Grammar and Spelling:

– Proper Grammar

– Correct Spelling

– Proper Punctuation

– Proper capitalization

Research Requirements:

– Proper types of sources

– 5 minimum sources, 7 maximum

– Proper academic sources (No Wikipedia or blogs — unless credible)

Cohesion:

– Maintain third person throughout the document

– Clear Introduction paragraph

– No research unless necessary

– Concise (a half a page at best; 100-150 words)

– Strong, explicit thesis

– Clear Conclusion

– Don’t repeat

– Concise (a half a page at best; 80-120 words)

– Logical progression of subject matter

Handling of the Opposition:

– Show opposition’s research

– Allow their experts to speak

– Quote them

– Don’t summarize all their points

– Show why an intelligent person might choose the opposition

Countering of the Opposition:

– Show why your stance is the better route

– Counter the opposition’s claims

– Refute their evidence

– Support your claims with evidence

– Conclude with your best evidence

Synthesis:

– Multiple sources per paragraph

– Sources used throughout the paper

– Clear topic or transition sentences

– Few, if any one-source paragraphs

– Proper use of paraphrase

– Proper use of summary

– Proper use of quotations (Quotations do not dominate paper)

– Proper integration of quotes

– No quotes as complete sentences

– No quotes to begin or end paragraphs