Position

Paper
What is a
Position Paper?
It is an essay that presents an
opinion about an issue
 PURPOSE
1.To help you understand your
nation’s views and interests on
the various issues.
PURPOSE
2. To
generate support from the
readers through strong and valid
assertions.
PURPOSE
3. To generate support on an issue. It
describes a position on an issue and
the rational for that position.
How to build a

POSITION
 EXPLORE

BRAINSTORM

CREATE ASSERTIONS

GATHER THE EVIDENCE

CREDIBLE RESOURCES

REFINE THE ARGUMENT

PREPARE FOR THE OPPOSITION

WRITE THE POSITION PAPER

 EXPLORE

Read widely → Open your mind

"Minds are like parachutes, they only
function when open"
-Thomas Dewar
 BRAINSTORM

Brainstorm with a friend/group about the

ideas you have found.

"Two heads are better than one"

-Old adage
 CREATE ASSERTIONS

Assertions are opinions that people may or

may not agree with.
 GATHER EVIDENCE

Gather the evidence to support each point.

Evidences:
Facts; statistics; interviews with experts;
perceived philosophical, socio-political, or
psychological truths.
 Credible Sources

Best sources are bills, laws, and

declarations from government and
international non-government organizations
such as UN; scholarly articlesfrom academic
journals;books etc.
 REFINE THE ARGUMENT

Argument is made of three elements:

Assertion, Evidence and Explanation.

Best arguments are filled with nuance and

sophistication, arguments that cannot be
quickly discounted or set aside.
 PREPARE FOR THE OPPOSITION

OPPOSITION - negation of that same

position.

1.List their strongest points.

2.Refute each point
3.Check the quality of their sources
 WRITE THE POSITION PAPER

1. Startling fact, a personal experience,

or an anecdote.
2. Enumerate each of your arguments.
3. Write your refutation of the
opposition.
4. Write the conclusion like its your last
chance to persuade someone.
Proverbs 16: 11-13

The LORD demands accurate

scales and balances; he sets the
standards for fairness. A king
detests wrongdoing, for his rule
is built on justice. The king is
pleased with words from
righteous lips; he loves those
who speak honestly.
The parts of a Position Paper
 INTRODUCTION

The introduction should

clearly identify the issue and
state the author’s position.
 BODY
Each paragraph should present an
idea or main concept that clarifies a
portion of the position statement
Evidence can be primary source
quotations, statistical data,
interviews with experts, and
indisputable dates or events.
 CONCLUSION

The conclusion should

summarize the main
concepts and ideas and
reinforce, without
repeating, the introduction
or body of the paper.
Hamburger Model
Top Bun -
Introduction
•A brief introduction
to the country and
its history
regarding the topic
and/or UN body
Lettuce
Body Paragraph 1
• The country’s
actions on a
national level,
including political
and/or foreign
policy.
Tomato/Pineapple
Body Paragraph 2
•The country’s actions
on the international
level, including
resolutions,
conventions and
declarations that the
country supports.
Patty/Burger
Body Paragraph 3
•Quotes taken from speeches
made by heads of the
government and/or
government representatives
•Statistics regarding the
issue
Bottom Bun
Conclusion
•The country’s
recommendation for a
resolution for the topic.
State some of your
possible solutions.
Proverbs 16: 11-13

The LORD demands accurate

scales and balances; he sets
the standards for fairness. A
king detests wrongdoing, for his
rule is built on justice. The king
is pleased with words from
righteous lips; he loves those
who speak honestly.
 Philippines got the 5th spot on PulseAsia
Survey of Countries with high crime rates.
Crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping,
car-napping, possession of illegal drugs and
etc. made the citizens alarmed and they
wanted an immediate solution to this. And so,
the residents of the Philippines wanted the
government officials to be knowledgeable
that they are frightened and asked the law
making body to present a position paper
regarding the matter. The position paper will
be evaluated through overall presentation
quality, quality of response to
questions/critical thinking skills and OVERALL
ASSESSMENT.
Goal You are tasked to defend your
position paper about the current
issues of the Philippines.
Role Law making body-Presentors
Audienc Panel of judges/panelists
e

Product Position Paper

Standar Rubrics
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