POSITON

PAPER
WHAT IS A
POSITION PAPER?
- IT IS DESCRIBES THE POSITION OF AN ISSUE
AND THE LOGICAL EXPLANATION OF THE
SUBJECT MATTER

- IT IS BASED ON FACTS WHICH PROVIDES A

SOLID ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGUMENT
 REMEMBER:

1. DEFINE AND LIMIT YOUR ISSUE

CAREFULLY PRIOR TO WRITING
YOUR POSITION PAPER.

2. SOCIAL ISSUES HAVE MULTIPLE

SOLUTIONS.
3. NARROW DOWN THE TOPIC OF YOUR
POSITION PAPER

4. RESEARCH YOUR ISSUE CAREFULLY,

OBTAINING PRIMARY DOCUMENTS AND
CONSULTING EXPERTS

5. CONSIDER COST-EFFECTIVENESS,
FEASIBILITY, AND SOCIAL OR POLITICAL
CLIMATE WHEN EVALUATING POSSIBLE
SOLUTIONS AND COURSES OF ACTIONS.
 HOW TO
WRITE A
POSITIO
N PAPER?
-ISSUE CRITERIA

- ANALYSIS OF AN ISSUE AND

DEVELOPMENT OF AN
ARGUMENT

- AUDIENCE AND POINT OF

VIEW
ISSUE CRITERIA
MUST ESTABLISH THE ARGUABILITY
OF A TOPIC. THESE ARE THE
FOLLOWING QUESTIONS MAY HELP
TO PRESENT A STONG ARGUMENT:
1. IS IT REAL ISSUE, WITH THE UNCERTAINTY
AND GENUINE CONTROVERSY?

2. CAN YOU IDENTIFY AT LEAST TWO

DISTINCTIVE POSITIONS?

3. ARE TOU PERSONALLY INTERESTED IN

PROMOTING ONE OF THESE POSITIONS?

4. IS THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE NARROW ENOUGH

TO BE MANAGEABLE?
 ANALYSIS OF AN
ISSUE AND
DEVELOPMENT
OF AN ARGUMENT
 TYPES OF INFORMATIONS TYPES OF SOURCES HOW TO FIND THESE SOURCES

INTRODUCTORY DIRECTORIES, LIBRARY CATALOGUE

INFORMATION AND ENCYCLOPEDIAS,
OVERVIEWS HANDBOOKS
IN-DEPTH STUDIES BOOKS, GOVERNMENT LIBRARY CATALOGUE,
REPORTS CANADIAN RESEARCH INDEX,
GOVERNMENT WEBSITES
SCHOLARLY ARTICLES ACADEMIC JOURNALS ARTICLE INDEXES

CURRENT ISSUES NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES ARTICLE INDEXES

STATISTICS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND STATISTICS CANADA,

ASSOCIATIONS CANADIAN RESEARCH INDEX,
JOURNAL ARTICLES
POSITION PAPER AND ASSOCIATION AND INSTITUTE LIBRARY CATALOGUE,
ANALYSES REPORTS WEBSITES
AUDIENCES AND POINT
OF VIEW
 TO DETERMINE YOUR VIEWPOINT, ASK
YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. IS YOUR TOPIC THOUGHT-PROVOKING OR INTERESTING?

2. CAN YOU MANAGE THE MATERIAL WITHIN THE
SPECIFICATIONS OR STIPULATIONS SET BY THE
INSTRUCTORS?
3. DOES YOUR TOPIC HAVE A SPECIFIC ARGUMENT OR
CHALLENGING ASSERTION?
4. DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH PROOFS OR MATERIALS TO
SUPPORT YOUR OPINION
 ORGANIZATION OF THE POSITION
PAPER
I. INTRODUCTION

A. TOPIC
B. BACKGROUND
C. SIGNIFICANCE
D. THESIS STATEMENT
II. COUNTER ARGUMENT

A. SUMMARIZE THE
COUNTERCLAIMS
B. PROVIDE SUPPORTING
INFORMATION FOR
COUTERCLAIMS
C.REFUTE THE COUNTERCLAIMS
D. GIVE EVIDENCE FOR
ARGUMENT
III. YOUR ARGUMENT

A. CLAIM 1
1. OPINION
2. SUPPORT WITH SOURCE

B. CLAIM 2
1. OPINION
2. SUPPORT WITH SOURCE
C. CLAIM 3

1. OPINION
2. SUPPORT WITH SOURCE

IV. CONCLUSION
FERRANCE TYPES OF FOCUS POSSIBLE SUPPORT POTENTIAL IMPACT SIDE EFFECTS
ACTION RESEARCH NEEDED

INDIVIDUAL ACTION SINGLE CLASSROOM COACH ACCESS CURRICULUM PRACTICE INFORMED

RESEARCH ISSUE TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTION BY DATA INFORMATION
ASSESSMENT ALWAYS SHARED

COLLABORATIVE SINGLE CLASSROOM OR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS CURRICULUM IMPROVED

ACTION RESEARCH SEVERAL CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONS COLLEGIALITY
WITH COMMON ISSUE ASSESSMENT POLICY

SCHOOL-WIDE ACTION SCHOOL ISSUE, SCHOOL COMMITMENT POTENTIAL TO IMPACT IMPROVED

RESEARCH PROBLEM, OR AREA OF LEADERSHIP SCHOOL RESTRUCTING COLLEGIALITY,
COLLECTIVE INTEREST COLLABORATION AND
COMMUNICATION

REGION-WIDE ACTION REGION ISSUE REGION COMMITMENT, ALLOCATION OF IMPROVED

RESEARCH RESOURCES COLLEGIALITY, AND
COMMUNICATION
STEPS IN ACTION
RESEARCH