Writing a

Position Paper
A position paper is an essay that presents
an arguable opinion about an issue –
typically that of the author or some
specified entity. Position papers are
published in academia, in politics, in law
and other domains.
The goal of a position paper is to convince the
audience that the opinion presented is valid and
worth listening to. Ideas for position papers that
one is considering need to be carefully
examined when choosing a topic, developing an
argument, and organizing the paper.
Strategies for Writing a
Position Paper
A position paper is a kind of
academic writing in which the
student researches a
controversial issue and writes
a paper that explains his/her
stand or viewpoint on it.
The main goal of a position paper is to take part in the larger
debate on the issue by stating and supporting your opinion or
recommended course of action.

The student is required to research other papers on the issue,

analyze them in depth, and formulate his/her own argument on
the matter.

Real world examples include ethical dilemmas involving existing

or soon-to-be-formulated company policy and arguments for/or
against legislation that may affect business.
 Analyzing Other Position Papers:

Did the writer analyze the controversy and discuss what others
have said about it?

Did the writer explain and fairly analyze the strengths and
weaknesses of the various sides of the issue? How deeply into the
argument was the writer able to go? If there were only two
different opinions did the writer carefully explore the strengths
and weaknesses of each, or did he/she just disprove one side
without going into the details?
What is the writer's position on the issue?

Was the paper persuasive? Why or why not?

 Strategies for Structuring your
Position Paper
Define the issue and provide as thorough a background as
possible. State your own position.

Discuss and analyze the various positions you have researched.

Ensure that both strengths and weaknesses are taken into account.
Discuss your position and analyze its strengths and weaknesses.
Discuss its relevance to other positions and why you have chosen
it. Provide counters against potential criticisms of and
weaknesses in the argument.

Give reasons why your position and/or suggested course of action

is the optimum one for all parties involved.
A successful position paper is one that persuades
its audience towards its argument. Reading your
paper objectively and asking the same questions
of it as you asked of the ones you researched,
will help you avoid the same weaknesses in
argument that you may have noticed in the
papers you have analyzed.
Like a debate, a position paper presents one side of an arguable
opinion about an issue. The goal of a position paper is to
convince the audience that your opinion is valid and defensible.

Ideas that you are considering need to be carefully examined in

choosing a topic, developing your argument, and organizing your
paper. It is very important to ensure that you are addressing all
sides of the issue and presenting it in a manner that is easy for
your audience to understand.

Your job is to take one side of the argument and persuade your
audience that you have well-founded knowledge of the topic
being presented. It is important to support your argument with
evidence to ensure the validity of your claims, as well as to refute
the counterclaims to show that you are well informed about both
sides.
 Issue Criteria
To take a side on a subject, you should first establish the
arguability of a topic that interests you. Ask yourself the
following questions to ensure that you will be able to present a
strong argument:
 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?