BASIC FEATURES OF POSITION PAPERS

Position papers generally share the following basic features: a well-defined issue, a clear position, a convincing argument, and an appropriate tone. Position papers concern controversial issues, matters on which people disagree. The issue may arise from a particular occasion or be part of an ongoing debate. In either case, the writer must clearly explain the issue.

In addition to establishing that the issue exists, a writer needs to define it for the writing purpose. Defining an issue means saying what kind of issue it is. For instance, one writer may define the issue of hate speech in terms of what is "civil," rather than in terms of the right to free expression as many of his readers will. Another writer may suggest that the level of public discussion and debate in the United States, as evidenced by call-in talk shows, is an issue of fundamental importance to a democratic society. Still another defines the issue of how values should be taught not in the narrow terms of educational methodology but broadly, in terms of the effect the method has on society as a whole. Sometimes, defining the issue also involves marking its boundaries. A student writing about youth sports, for example, limits the organized team sports she is talking about to those sponsored by parents outside schools for children of certain ages.

In addition to defining the issue, the essay should also clearly indicate the writer's position. Writers may qualify their claims to accommodate strong opposing arguments, but they should avoid vagueness or indecision.

Very often writers declare their position in a thesis statement early in the essay. The advantage of this strategy is that it lets the audience know right away where the writer stands. Many writers state their thesis explicitly in the opening paragraph and set forth their reasons at the end of the second paragraph. Others state their thesis a few paragraphs down, after a brief introduction that defines the viewpoint with which they disagree.

The thesis may also appear later in the essay. Postponing the thesis is particularly appropriate when the writer wants to weigh the pros and cons before announcing his or her position.

A position paper cannot merely assert a writer's views. To convince readers, writers must provide sound reasoning and solid evidence in support of their claims. They must also anticipate possible opposing arguments and either accommodate or refute them.

Sound Reasoning and Solid Evidence. To be sure that readers will be able to follow an argument, the main points supporting a claim should be not only stated clearly but also explained and fully developed. For example, in arguing that call-in talk shows do not represent true democratic debate, one writer pointed out that, like town meetings, they are dominated by "the loudest mouths and most made-up minds," so they can never be truly representative; that "the power isn't with the people, it's with the moderator," who actually controls the terms of the debate; that commercial considerations mean the only issues discussed are those that can be defined in the very simplest terms. Moreover, she argued, such talk shows have little value in terms of public discussion because the participants are more interested in "ridiculing the opposition" than in "finding the truth." Readers may or may not be convinced by this argument, but by explaining and developing it fully, the writer makes sure that they understand her reasoning.

A writer can cite various kinds of evidence in support of a position, including anecdotes, authorities, and statistics. Anecdotes are used to bolster and to illustrate an argument. Testimony from authorities--people especially knowledgeable about the issue--also enhances the credibility of an argument. You should cite many anthorities in your position paper, and identify them by giving their credentials.

Statistics are another common kind of evidence. The "youth sports" writer cites statistics to demonstrate that a very high proportion of children--between 80 and 90 percent--drop out of organized sports by the time they enter their teens. She wisely indicates the source of these statistics, a professor at the University of Illinois, because knowledgeable readers tend to be skeptical of statistics that are not attributed to a source.

Counterarguing. In addition to presenting reasons and evidence, a writer may also need to acknowledge opposing points of view and often to accommodate or refute them. Accommodating an opposing argument basically involves admitting that it has validity and qualifying one's own view to account for it. Refuting an opposing argument means trying to show how it is wrong.

The writer of the paper on hate speech should carefully accommodate other viewpoints: while stating explicitly that he sees no value in legal restrictions on free speech, he should also show that he is sympathetic to the victims of hate speech and their proponents, many of whom advocate such restrictions. Further, he may offer an alternative approach to dealing with hate speech that he believes can eliminate it more effectively than can legal restrictions.

The sports writer, on the other hand, might explicitly acknowledge and then refute the argument that competitive sports are good for young children because they need to learn to live in a competitive world. First, she could suggest, young people will have time to learn competitive skills as teenagers when they are more ready to compete; and second, the ability to cooperate is equally important for success and can be fostered by team sports in which winning isn't the primary goal.

Position papers often concern highly controversial issues about which writers-and readers--feel very strongly. The challenge for writers, therefore, is to find a tone that adequately expresses their feelings without shutting down communication altogether. Ideally, writers gain readers' confidence and respect both by the way they reason and by the language they use.

Some writers assume an informal and colloquial tone, and attempt to establish a bond with readers. In "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King carefully establishes a friendly and reasonable tone with his readers before moving into his argument.

Be aware also that some readers may react negatively to buzzwords such as "traditional moral values". As terms associated with particular ideologies, buzzwords (imperialist, secular humanism, and politically correct are other examples) can establish common ground with sympathetic readers, but they cannot be counted on to convince those who are not already sympathetic. In fact, they may serve primarily to widen the differences between the writer's position and opposing positions. Writers of position papers must be careful not to define the issue too broadly or to overstate their position. The writer of the sports paper could qualify her thesis by avoiding absolute or unconditional language. She might use language such as not always in her opening paragraph to soften her assertion: "These games are not always joyous ones." Similarly, she might then say "the result of such pressure can be" instead of asserting "the result of such pressure is." Such minor adjustments in word choice can have an important effect on readers because can make your position more reasonable, without making you seem indecisive.

Worksheet for Research Paper (continued)

This is an example of how we took the broad topic of endangered species (which started out even broader) and narrowed it down:

Environment> damage to environment> endangered species> preservation of endangered species> preservation of bald eagle> preservation of bald eagle in California.

TOPIC: Preservation of bald eagle in California.

But we are not ready to write yet. But we are ready to consider taking a position. What do you think? What opinion did you formulate as you were reading?

POSITION: The bald eagle should (should not) be preserved in California.

Now you are closer. You have stated an opinion. But to begin writing, you also need a thesis. This includes your position and your reason why; it may also include a how.

THESIS: We should increase fish and game enforcement in California to preserve the bald eagle from poachers.

Now you need reasons and evidence. These are things that probably stood out in your reading for the paper, you may already have them yellow highlighted in your articles. If not, go over your reading again. Try to determine three to five reasons why people should agree with your thesis. Then find evidence explaining each reason. Following is a student sample from a paper about the use of fur in clothing. Notice how the student, after defining her thesis narrowly, listed reasons and then her evidence. She also wisely noted her sources for each "evidence" notation; this makes it easier for her to refer back to her sources quickly as she's writing the body of her paper. (And, if she has her articles in order in a notebook, and indexed for easy reference, she has made her writing process even easier.)