A Position Paper is a common type of academic argument writing assignment. Typically, a Position Paper is written after reading about and discussing a particular issue. Quite often, the readings cover more than one issue and you as a writer must choose a particular area of focus. The central goal of writing a position paper is not only to state and defend your position on the issue, but also to show how your stance relates to other positions. As we write the Position Paper, we will continue to practice skills such as articulating a thesis statement that contains an overall claim, developing an argument with reasons and evidence, and using transitions and reader cues for coherence. We will also introduce the following skills:
identifying issues in a set of readings
collecting information from readings on a particular issue
positioning one's claim in relation to other positions on the issue
documenting sources using MLA in-text citations and works cited
choosing an effective organizational strategy
optional: researching the library or Internet for sources