Position Paper
The Assignment:
For this assignment you’ll identify an issue that relates to one of our topic clusters and analyze
that issue. Next, you’ll want to develop your own view—your position, the nuanced perspective
that you bring to the conversation. To do this you’ll need to understand others’ perspectives on
the issue, summarizing and analyzing their arguments to have a strong sense of the larger
questions at play.
Starting Out:
The cluster of readings for the topics can be found on Moodle. Definitely spend some time
reading and annotating these texts with an open mind. In your essay, you might engage one of
the readings directly to agree or disagree with it. However, the strongest thesis statements will
be nuanced, offering your own specific perspective on the topic. Often this means going beyond
agreeing or disagreeing with someone else. Important issues have layers, and you’ll want to
consider how the authors of the readings engage or don’t engage layers of the issue that you
think are vital. What have they overemphasized, misunderstood, or forgotten?
We’ve explored several articles related to the topic clusters you can choose from. In thinking
about the two articles you’ll use for your paper, you might begin by asking these questions of
each potential text:
1) What is the issue (or issues) in this piece?
2) What position is this author taking on that issue?
3) What is my position on that same issue (or issues)?
4) Why is that my position?
5) What do I have to say about it?
Then, consider the readings together. Make a list of the issues that come up in both, noting
how each author engages with them. What are the ways they discuss the issue alike? Where do
they differ? What makes them different? Is the difference significant? How and why is it
significant? What trends or patterns do you notice across the articles? Which perspectives are
represented in the readings? Which perspectives are missing? Questions such as these will lay
the groundwork for approaching this project.
Reminders:
Your essay should offer your nuanced perspective on this topic, integrate at least two sources,
and provide appropriate evidence. Here are some things to keep in mind as you write. In this
essay, you should:
● Clearly present the topic and identify the issue and its context
● Provide a clear and nuanced thesis that frames your essay and reveals your position
● Develop your thesis with logical reasoning and substantial evidence from the two texts
you’ve chosen to synthesize.
● Make clear why this issue matters (what’s the “so what?”)
Initial Draft Due: Monday, October 31
Writing Workshop Draft Due Date: Wednesday, November 2
Final Draft Due Date: Friday, November 4