Position Paper
Also called an argumentative paper or a manifesto
An essay that presents a person’s or group’s position or stand on a particular issue
Its goal is to convince the reader of the acceptability of the writer’s position and it does by:
1. presenting rational support to a writer’s position, through the use of evidence;
2. presenting counter-evidence to or flaws in the arguments of the opposing position; and
3. using emotional appeals
Uses of a Position Paper
A position paper does more than expressing a group’s or a person’s sentiments on an issue; it also helps others to
become more aware of certain problems in society and possibly become more involved in finding solution to it.
PARTS OF A POSITION PAPER
1. Issue
An issue is an idea or question over which people are divided. It is also called a controversy
*Some ideas are not debatable –people have the same view about it.
For example, that exercise is good for the health and smoking is bad are noncontroversial ideas.
* In contrast, the question of whether to legalize medically assisted suicide (i.e. allowing a suffering or
terminal patient to decide when and how to end his or her life) is an issue.
2. Thesis
Also called the claim, is a statement that expresses your stand or position on an issue. This expresses how you
feel about an issue: are you in favor of or against it? Is your position somewhere in between?
3. Reasons
A position paper seeks to persuade readers to have the same position on an issue as the writer does. Thus, it’s
important for the writer to state the reasons in order to explain to the reader why his or her position is logical,
and believable. Another term for reasons is arguments.
4. Support
Support refers to the evidence or ideas to substantiate the reasons.
Support may be classified into the following types:
a. Facts - figures and the writer’s own observations or reports from scholarly studies
b. Comparisons – similarities or differentiation between two ideas, concepts, or situations
c. Examples – real-life demonstration of an idea
d. Opinions - the author’s feelings or generalizations
5. Opposing viewpoints or counterarguments
Also known as counterarguments, give the arguments opposing your stand. Your goal in presenting these is to
refute or discredit them, so that any opposition in the reader’s mind is dealt with. You refute by showing
weaknesses in the counterargument.