EAPP - provide support using reliable sources
Position Paper (point of view paper)
- Presents one side of an arguable
opinion about an issue
Goal: to convince the audience that your
opinion is valid and defensible.
Importance of a Position Paper
- Address all sides of the issue and
present it in a manner that is easy
for your audience to understand.
- Persuade your audience that you
have a well-founded knowledge of
the topic being presented.
- Support your argument with
evidence for validity
- Refute the counterclaims to show
that you are well informed about
both sides
Remember: position paper is written based
on facts that provide a solid foundation on
the topic.
Generic Sample Outline of Position Paper
I. Introduction
- introduce the topic
- use a hook to get the reader’s attention
- provide background on the topic to explain
its importance
- assert your thesis (your view of the issue)
II. Counter Argument
- summarize the counterclaims
- provide supporting information for
counterclaims
- refute
- give evidence for the argument
III. First, second, third argument
- give your educated and informed opinion
- comment on your evidence
- write a concluding sentence
IV. Conclusion
- summarize your main points or reasons
- restate the argument
- provide a plan of action but do not
introduce new information
Considerations in Preparing Position Paper
I. Issue Criteria
- Is it a real issue, with genuine controversy
and uncertainty?
- Can you identify at least two distinctive
positions?
- Are you personally interested in
advocating one of these positions?
- Is the scope of the issue narrow enough to
be manageable?
II. Considering your audience and
determining your viewpoint
- Is your topic interesting? Remember that
originality counts.
- Can you manage the material within the
specifications set by the instructor?
- Does your topic assert something specific,
prove it and where applicable, propose a
plan of action?
- Do you have enough material or proof to
support your opinion?
III. Stating your thesis
Thesis – one sentence statement about
your topic. It’s an assertion about your topic
something you claim to be true.
IV. Writing with style and clarity
Kinds of Reports
- Reports are essential to keep an
updated account of an event,
situation, and organization. These
are documents that wish to
inform, analyze, or recommend.
Reports are often expressed through
oral presentations or written. The
common mediums of these reports
are speeches, televisions, radios,
and films.
- Report writing is making a
detailed statement about the
company, an event, a situation,
and/or an occurrence that is
based on observation,
investigations, and inquiries.
Types of Reports
Assessment reports – aim at evaluating the
positive and/or negative features of a
person, place, plan, etc,; also includes your
opinion and/or recommendation
Informative reports – present information
about a meeting, progress made on a
project, etc.
Survey reports – present and analyze the
results/findings of a research
Proposal reports – presents plans,
decisions, or suggestions
Types and Characteristics of Various
Reports
Formal Report – is a complex account
either written or oral that uses formal and
structured language and is usually applied
in major projects and organizations.
● Informational - presents result,
information, and updates and explains
Examples:
- Attendance reports
- Annual budget reports
- Monthly financial reports IX. Appendices
Analytical - presents, analyzes, and draws DESIGNING THE SURVEY
conclusions from reports and shows the QUESTIONNAIRE
why and the how of an occurrence
Survey - a general view, examination, or
Examples: description of someone or something
- Scientific research A good questionnaire should be:
- Feasibility reports, ● Valid - it asks what it intends to ask.
- Employee appraisals ● Reliable – it gets the same answer if the
same question is posed repeatedly in a
Recommendatory - presents
short time.
recommendation based on the results and
conclusions ● Clear – it is easily understood.
Example: ● Interesting – it is completed by the
- Recommendation report respondents and gets better response rate
Informal Report – communicates, updates Design
information using free-flowing, casual and ● Ask the right questions
short formats usually about routines and
● Use appropriate format
everyday business
● Arrange the questions logically
Examples:
● Make instructions clear
- Progress reports
Test
- Feasibility report
● Do pilot testing
- Literature review
● Detect flaws
- Personnel evaluation
Revise
- Report on sales
● Make necessary changes
BASIC STRUCTURES OF REPORTS
● Improve the questionnaire
I. Title page
CONDUCTING SURVEYS AND
II. Abstract
GATHERING INFORMATION METHODS
III. List of Figures and Tables
Personal approach
IV. Introduction
A. Face-to-face structured interview
V. Body (varies according to type of report)
B. Telephone survey
VI. Conclusions
Self-administered approach
VII. Recommendations
A. Paper and pencil survey
VIII. References
B. Online survey
C. Mail survey 9. Compile a reference list
Observational study - the sample 10. Revise your draft report
population being studied is measured, or
surveyed, as it is.
Experimental study - has the researcher
purposely attempting to influence the
results.
SUMMARIZING FINDINGS AND WRITING
Data collection
● Data - are referred to as a collection of
facts, such as value of measurements,
observation, or even just a description of
things
● Primary data - the data you collected
yourself
● Secondary data - use of existing data
● Quantitative data - numbers
● Qualitative data - words or images
● Tally marks - to make a frequency
distribution table
● Pictograph - use of images
● Bar graph - use of bars of different height
● Pie graph - uses pie slices
Writing a report
1. Decide in the terms of reference
2. Decide in the procedure
3. Find the information
4. Decide on the structure
5. Draft the first part of your report
6. Analyze your findings and draw
conclusion
7. Make recommendations
8. Draft the executive summary and table of
contents
-