Position Paper

What is a Position Paper?  Why do we write these?

A Position Paper is a common type of academic argument writing assignment. Typically, a Position Paper is written after reading about and discussing a particular issue. Quite often, the readings cover more than one issue, and as a writer you must choose a particular area of focus. The central goal of writing a position paper is not only to state and defend your position on the issue but also to show how your stance relates to other positions. As we write the Position Paper, we will continue to practice skills such as articulating a thesis statement that contains an overall claim, developing an argument with reasons and evidence, and using transitions and reader cues for coherence. We will also introduce the following skills:

• identifying issues in a set of readings
• collecting information from readings on a particular issue
• positioning one’s claim in relation to other positions on the issue
• documenting sources using MLA in-text citations and works cited
• choosing an effective organizational strategy
• researching the library and Internet for sources

Assignment

For your first paper, read at least the first chapter in Reclaiming Conversation (The Case for Conversation) and one other article of your choosing (5-page minimum) about communication in the Digital Age.  Over the past few years, we have come to live a life of constant connection. We are always communicating, but something is wrong with conversation. In an essay, establish your perspective on 1) how technology fits into our daily communications with others, or 2) provide your perspective on why conversation is in trouble. You will use Reclaiming Conversation and the outside article as support. Decide which views from these sources seem most valid and which have deepened your own understanding of the topic. Explore how one reading shapes your understanding of the second reading. Be sure to discuss the rhetorical argument devices (such as ethos, pathos, and logos) used in each text. In the end, you will argue your position on how technology shapes today’s discourse, showing how your position relates to those of the authors.

Some questions you might ask yourself include:  Does one reading introduce ideas that help you understand what happens in the other reading?  Does reading #1 lead you to question the claims or arguments (implicit or explicit) being made in reading #2?  What does one text reveal about the other text?

In other words, you will be arguing for your point of view using the book and one article as your sources. This is a persuasive essay in which you try to convince your reader to think like you do or take some kind of action about the issue based on your recommendation. This will give the reader a broader understanding of the issues Turkle will cover as we work our way through the book.

This is a formal academic essay, and your word and tone choices should reflect this fact. That means no slang or jargon. No first person unless you are telling a personal story (though those are rare in academic essays).

Purpose of the assignment for this class

To promote mature academic thinking; to practice using quotations and paraphrases; to develop and practice summarizing and synthesizing.

How to Write this Essay

Step one: 

Turkle’s text invites us to think about how conversation is too often being replaced by “mere connection.” Do you agree with this? Do you disagree? What role do you think making connections plays in today’s landscape? What role should technology play in helping people communicate? Is it possible to convey empathy online? You will choose one of these topics, or come up with your own, that you will then synthesize into an essay with your source. Decide on your stance and then figure out how best to convince your audience that you are right.

Step two:

Find at least one credible source outside of Turkle’s text.  Read/view/listen and annotate the source.

Step three:

Start drafting your position paper.  Part of this assignment is to synthesize material; therefore, each body paragraph will likely contain material from more than one source. 

Step four:

As you have been drafting, you have been identifying passages from Turkle and your source that you believe are worth quoting.  We choose quotations based on how important the information is and how well-said it is.  Use the signal phrases/effective signal verbs for introducing paraphrases and quotations.

Step five:

As you have been drafting, you have been using transition phrases such as “…in contrast to…”, “…in other cultures, however….”, “…similar to the …” etc.  These transition phrases are simple, but when used well they give an essay coherence (aka “flow”) and a professional quality.

Step six:

After drafting your essay think about a thesis and an introduction.  Remember that your introduction starts broad before narrowing its focus down to the issue at hand. Your thesis is your entire point boiled down into one sentence. Your thesis is the answer to “What is the point of this essay?” or “What do I think about this issue?”

For your conclusion, think about what we learn when we compare and contrast the material in your essay.  Compare/contrast syntheses always need a point, and a conclusion is a great place to make it. However, you may also include it in the thesis paragraph.  The point of the comparison/contrast is the new understanding we get when we put some information next to other information in new ways.  In the conclusion you can move away from Turkle’s text and into your own perspective about the importance of the material.

Step seven:

Revise and develop your draft.  Edit your draft.  Proofread your draft.  Please note that those three things are all different stages in the writing process.

Paper Formatting

The essay should be presented in MLA format, without a title page (though you of course still need a title), and should include a works cited page for both the course text book and the sources you used in the essay. Your essay should feature a 12-point font in Times New Roman or Garamond, be double-spaced so I can easily comment on the final draft, and have one-inch margins on all sides.

This essay will be a minimum of 1,000 words (use Microsoft Word to help you keep a word count, but 1,000 words is about 4 pages.) Anyone who fails to meet the 1,000 word minimum will not be able to pass this assignment with a C or higher.

Submitting your Paper

You will submit your final version to Turnitin, in BlackBoard.

Grading criteria and essay goals:

• Does the essay demonstrate an accurate understanding of the source and Turkle’s text?
• Is the organization a true synthesis of material and not a source-by-source summary of information?
• Are the paragraphs well-focused and coherent with useful transition phrases?
• Does the introduction contain a descriptive thesis?
• Does the conclusion usefully wrap up the material?
• Are the sentences basically clear?
• Are the quotations and summaries effective? For example, does the essay use a variety of signal verbs?  Is the documentation accurate?  Is the summary complete, avoiding plagiarism?  Are the quotations usefully framed?