Position Paper PDF

POSITION PAPER? This is an essay that presents a stand/position about B. Provide background on the topic to explain why it is an issue. important. The goal is to convince the audience that your C. Assert the thesis (your v...

POSITION PAPER? This is an essay that presents a stand/position about B. Provide background on the topic to explain why it is an issue. important. The goal is to convince the audience that your C. Assert the thesis (your view of the issue). position is valid and defensible. Counter Argument It ranges from simple to complex formats. A. Summarize the counterclaims. It is an essential tool to solicit support for social B. Provide supporting information for change. counterclaims. Position papers are published in academia, in C. Refute the counterclaims. politics, in law and other domains. D. Give evidence for argument. It is an essay that presents an opinion about an Your Argument issue, typically that of the author or another A. Assert point #1 of your claims specified entity; such as a political party. 1. Give your educated and informed opinion presents one side of an arguable opinion about 2. Provide support/proof using more than one an issue. source (preferably three) is like a debate where arguments are presented Conclusion by the writer. A. Restate your argument Position papers are supported by reasonable B. Provide a plan of action but do not introduce preponderance of empirical evidence. new information Remember: Conclusions drawn in the paper are dictated by The simplest and most basic conclusion is one that the evidence, though the interpretation of the restates the thesis in different words and then discusses evidence may be skewed by the personal agenda its implications. of the writer. Citation and Referencing Subjective, because you basically make a stand. American Psychological Association (APA) 6th Edition The discussion of the topic may only deal with Plagiarism and Academic Honesty the stand the writer is trying to defend. To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you Its format is flexible. use: The discussion of the topic may only deal with the another person's idea, opinion, or theory; stand the writer is trying to defend. any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings-- Processes Involved in Writing Position Paper any pieces of information--that are not 1. choosing a topic common knowledge; 2. taking a stand quotations of another person's actual 3. developing argument spoken or written words; or 4. organizing the paper paraphrase of another person's spoken or Choosing a topic (Issue Criteria) written words. ❖ establish the arguability of a topic that interests Sample Forms of POSITION PAPER you  Letter to the Editor ❖ ensure that you will be able to present a strong  Manifesto argument  Persuasive essay Developing an Argument  Complex Position papers for academe, business, ensure that your position is well-supported list etc. the pro and con sides of the topic examine your ability to support your counterclaims, along with a list of supporting evidence for both sides Organization of a Position Paper I. Introduction II. Body A. Counter Argument B. Your Argument III. Conclusion Introduction A. Introduce the topic. CRITIQUE PAPER  What kinds of information (e.g. observation,  Critique papers summarize and judge the book, survey, statistics, historical accounts) are journal article, and artwork, among other presented in the work? sources. Basically, these papers include a critical  How are they used to support the arguments or evaluation of the item under reflection. thesis?  An article critique requires you to critically read a  Are there other ways of supporting the piece of research and identify and evaluate the arguments or the thesis aside from the strengths and weaknesses of the article information used in the work? Is the author or REACTION PAPERS, REVIEWS AND CRITIQUES creator silent about these alternative ways of A reaction paper, a review, and a critique are explanation? specialized forms of writing in which a reviewer or Conclusion (around 10% of the paper) reader evaluates any of the following: 1. A scholarly work (e.g. academic books and Overall impression of the work articles) Scholarly or literary value of the reviewed article, 2. a work of art (e.g. performance art, play, dance, book, or work sports, films and exhibits) Benefits of the intended audience or field 3. designs (e.g. industrial designs, furniture, fashion Suggestion for future direction of research design) For other types of reviews, there is no prescribed 4. graphic designs (e.g. posters, billboards, structure, but the following sections are almost commercials and digital media) always present. STRUCTURE OF A REACTION PAPER, REVIEW, OR A INTRODUCTION CRITIQUE  Basic details about the materials, such as title, Introduction (around 5% of the paper) director or artist, name of exhibition/event and Title of the book/article/work the like Writer’s name  Main assessment of the material (for films and Thesis statement performances) Summary (around 10% of the paper) PLOT SUMMARY/DESCRIPTION Objective or purpose  Gist of the plot Methods used (if applicable)  Simple description of the work Major findings, claims, ideas, or messages ANALYSIS/INTERPRETATION Review/Critique (in no particular order around 5% of the  Discussion and analysis of the work (you may paper) employ the critical approach here) 1. Appropriateness of methodology to support the  It is best to ask the following questions during arguments (for books and articles) or this part. appropriateness of mode of presentation (other Questions to Ask books) 1. What aspects of the work makes you think it is a Continuation… success or a failure? 2. Theoretical soundness, coherence of ideas 2. Were there unanswered questions or plot lines? 3. Sufficiency and soundness of explanation in If yes, how did they affect the story? relation to other available information and 3. Does the work remind you of other things you experts have experienced through analogies, metaphors, 4. Other perspectives in explaining the concepts and or other figurative devices? How does this idea contribute to the meaning? (It is best to ask the following questions during this part:) 4. How does the work relate to other ideas or events  Does the writer explicitly state his thesis in the world and/or in your studies? statement? 5. What stood out while you were watching the film  What are the assumptions mentioned in the or the performance? work? Are they explicitly discussed? GUIDELINES IN WRITING A REACTION PAPER, REVIEW,  What are the contributions of the work to the OR CRITIQUE field where it belongs? 1. FOR ARTICLES OR JOURNALS  What problems and issues are discussed are a. Read, review, or listen to the work to be reviewed presented in the work? carefully to get the main topic or the concepts presented. Then revisit the work to further identify its arguments or message b. Relate the content of the work to what you already know about the topic. This will make you more engaged in the article or book. c. Focus on discussing how the book treats the topic and not the topic itself. Use phrases such as this book/work presents and the author argues. d. Situate your review. This means that your analysis should be anchored on the theories presented by the writer or creator. e. Report the type of analysis of the mode of presentation the writer/creator used and how this type of analysis supports the arguments and claims. f. Examine whether the findings are adequately supported and how the connections between ideas affect the conclusions and findings. g. Suggest points for improvement of the reasoning, explanation, presentation of ideas, as well as alternative methods and processes of reasoning. h. Compare the writer’s explanation of the topic that of another expert from the same field of study. i. Point out other conclusions or interpretations that the writer/creator missed out. Present other ideas that need to be examined. j. Show your agreement with the writer’s ideas and present an explanation for your agreement. 2. FOR ARTWORKS AND OTHER MEDIA a. When critiquing artworks or posters, make sure to use speculative verb such as evoke, create, appear, and suggest to show that your interpretation of the artist’s work is just that – an interpretation. b. Presume that the reader has not yet seen the material you are reviewing, so make sure to describe it to them. For reviews of films or plays, make sure not to spoil key events unless they figure in your review, in which case always add a disclaimer. c. For artworks, describe the material in simple terms to help your reader visualize it; refrain from being vague or abstract. 3. ON A GENERAL NOTE, YOUR REACTION PAPER’S CONCLUSION MAY FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING IDEAS. a. Did the work hold your interest? b. Did the work annoy or excite you? c. Did the work prompt you to raise questions to the author? d. Did the work lead you to some realizations? e. Did the work remind you of other materials that you have read, viewed or listened to in the past?