What is a position paper?

A position paper is an essay that expresses an author’s view on a particular topic and uses evidence to
support their stance.

Using your thesis statement and notes, create an outline of your argument. While some people use
sentence fragments in their outlines, others create sentence outlines, which feature topic statements,
evidence and conclusions for each section of their research paper. These are the common sections of a
position paper:

 Introduction: Introduce the topic and your thesis or position for the paper. You might provide
background information or explain why the topic is important.
 Body: This section contains your arguments or claims with supporting evidence. Shorter position
papers often have three body paragraphs, while longer ones might have multiple sections with
several paragraphs each.
 Conclusion: The final section of a position paper emphasizes your claims and summarizes your
paper. You might also include information about the impact of this issue on a particular part of
society/country.

Position paper template

Write your position paper without sub-headings. You can compose a title of your choice for your
position paper. Use this template as a guide to write your position paper:

The First Paragraph must contain your Introduction

[Start with an interesting sentence to draw the attention of readers. Then, introduce your topic and end
with your thesis statement, which reveals your position and summarizes your reasons.

The Second and Succeeding Paragraphs must contain your Arguments/Claims

[First paragraph includes an argument with at least two facts of evidence to support.]

[Second paragraph has a second argument with supporting evidence.]

[Third paragraph with another argument to support your position with supporting evidence.]

The Last Paragraph must contain your Conclusion

[Conclusion has a summary of arguments and claims with a statement to emphasize the position of the
paper.]