WHAT IS A P O S IT ION

PAPER?
• A POSITION PAPER IS AN ESSAY THAT EXPRESSES AN AUTHOR’S VIEW ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC AND USES
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THEIR STANCE. WHILE YOU MIGHT LEARN TO WRITE A POSITION PAPER FOR A HIGH
SCHOOL OR COLLEGE CLASS, PROFESSIONALS IN MANY INDUSTRIES WRITE THESE RESOURCES AS A PART OF
THEIR DAILY WORK. IN A COLLEGE CLASS, YOU MIGHT WRITE A POSITION PAPER TO FULFILL AN
INSTRUCTOR’S PROMPT, BUT IN YOUR CAREER, YOU MIGHT WRITE A POSITION PAPER ABOUT A TOPIC THAT
RELATES TO YOUR INDUSTRY. HERE ARE SOME INDUSTRIES WHERE POSITION PAPERS ARE COMMON:

• HEALTH CARE
• LAW
• SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
• ECONOMICS
• EDUCATION
• PUBLIC POLICY
INTRODUCTION
• INTRODUCE THE TOPIC AND YOUR THESIS OR POSITION FOR THE PAPER. YOU MIGHT PROVIDE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION OR EXPLAIN WHY THE TOPIC IS IMPORTANT.
•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.
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.
• 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.
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 YOUR INDUSTRY.
•CONCLUSION HAS A SUMMARY OF ARGUMENTS
AND CLAIMS WITH A STATEMENT TO
EMPHASIZE THE POSITION OF THE PAPER.