Position Paper Instructions
You will write a 4-6 page formal position paper on the issue examined in the Taking
Sides text. Your position must be informed by the “Yes” and “No” sides of this issue
presented in this text, without additional outside references.
The content of your paper will include the following (see the grading ru
ic for more
detail):
1. An overall introduction to the issue/question with consideration of the audience,
purpose, and circumstances of this paper. What exactly is the issue at hand? What
is your paper going to be about? What are we looking at here?
2. Your position on the issue. What is your position? Why do you take this
position? What information supports your position in the Taking Sides reading?
3. The opposing side of the issue. What does the other side say? What are the
objections to your position? How would someone who takes a different position
make their case?
4. The refutation of the opposing side. Why are the objections raised by the
opposing side inco
ect and/or not persuasive? Are their faults in their reasoning?
Why is the information supporting the opposing side not persuasive in
comparison to your own position?
5. A summary of your position paper. How has your position developed in this
paper? Why is your position persuasive in relation to the opposing side of this
issue? What new questions or ideas have been raised from this paper?
Your paper will include these headings (co
esponding with the grading ru
ic):
Introduction
My Position
Opposing Position
Refutation of Opposing Position
Position Summary
References
*Any and all information (e.g., idea, statement, fact, figure, etc.) that comes from a
source must be appropriately cited within the content of your paper and referenced in
either APA or MLA formatting.
Position Paper Grading Ru
ic:
Less than Adequate Adequate Competent Exemplary
Introduction 0-2 points 3 points 4 points 5 points
Question or issue absent
Importance not discussed
No summary of the positions
and points in the paper
No definitions
Question or issue unclear
No reader engagement
Briefly mentions own position
Gives a few definitions
Provides a clear, recognizable
question/issue
Engages reader interest somewhat
Describes own position
Defines most terms
Introduces the question/issue and its
importance
Engages the reader’s interest (i.e., an
interesting fact or statistic)
Describes the yes and no positions
Defines terms and explains ideas for an
audience unfamiliar with this topic
My Position 0-3 points 4-7 points 8-10 points 11-15 points
No position or position is
unclear
Focuses on no ideas from
Points/Counterpoints of the
Taking sides reading
No quoting/citing from the
Taking Sides reading
Position is basic and involves minimal
critical thought
Gives minimal description of one main
idea from the Points/Counterpoints
Mostly summarizes arguments from
article
Lacks logic or coherence
Less than adequate quoting/citing from
the Taking Sides reading
Position is clearly stated
Gives adequate description of two
main ideas from the
Points/Counterpoints that support your
position
Explains what the authors are arguing,
ut not why they are making those
arguments (i.e., the author’s reasoning)
Using text to support position, rather
than merely summarizing the text
Adequate quoting/citing from the
Taking Sides reading
Position is clearly stated
Gives detailed and thorough
description of two main ideas from the
Points/ Counterpoints that support your
position
Explains the author’s reasoning why
they are arguing for those ideas
Quotes and cites ideas thoroughly from
the Taking Sides reading to support
your position
Defines terms and explains ideas for an
audience unfamiliar with this topic
Opposing
Position
0-3 points 4-7 points 8-10 points 11-15 points
No position or position is
unclear
Focuses on no ideas from
Points/Counterpoints of the
Taking sides reading
No quoting/citing from the
Taking Sides reading
Position is basic and involves minimal
critical thought
Gives minimal description of one main
idea from the Points/Counterpoints
Mostly summarizes arguments from
article
Lacks logic or coherence
Less than adequate quoting/citing from
the Taking Sides reading
Position is clearly stated
Gives adequate description of two
main ideas from the
Points/Counterpoints that support your
position
Explains what the authors are arguing,
ut not why they are making those
arguments (i.e., the author’s reasoning)
Using text to support position, rather
than merely summarizing the text
Adequate quoting/citing from the
Taking Sides reading
Position is clearly stated
Gives detailed and thorough
description of two main ideas from the
Points/ Counterpoints that support your
position
Explains the author’s reasoning why
they are arguing for those ideas
Quotes and cites ideas thoroughly from
the Taking Sides reading to support
your position
Defines terms and explains ideas for an
audience unfamiliar with this topic
Refutation of
Opposing
Position
0-2 points 3-5 points 6-7 points 8-10 points
Unclear refutation of the
opposing side
Unclear use of logical
fallacies
Less than adequate use of
critical thought in refutation
Refutes one counterargument from the
opposing position using at least one
logical fallacy
Refutation is basic and involves
minimal critical thought
Refutes most (more than one)
counterarguments from the opposing
position using at least one logical
fallacy, identifying the fallacy used.
Refutation demonstrates adequate
critical thinking
Refutes all (multiple)
counterarguments from the opposing
position using at least two logical
fallacies, identifying each fallacy used.
Refutation demonstrates sophisticated
critical thinking
Position
Summary
0-2 points 3 points 4 points 5 points
Repeats introduction
Gives partial summary of how your
position has been developed and why it
is persuasive through presenting the
opposing side and refutation
Raises no new questions
Gives
ief summary of your position
and how it has developed/has become
more persuasive by presenting the
opposing side and refutation
Gives one new question or idea that
has been raised from this essay
Gives a detailed and thorough account
how your position has been developed
and why it is persuasive through
presenting the opposing side and
efutation
Explains a new question or idea that
has been raised from this essay that
could be examined in further detail in
future work
Writing and
Peer Revision
Workshop
0-2 points 3-5 points 6-7 points 8-10 points
Almost no links between
sections, paragraphs, and
sentences
Cannot follow reader logic
Lacks coherence and clarity
Many grammar e
ors that
impede understanding
No citations
eferences in
either MLA or APA
Writing using passive
sentences
No formatting
Did not print out paper for
peer revision workshop
Few links between sections,
paragraphs, and sentences
The reader has difficulty following
written ideas step by step without
having to make leaps
Some wordiness
Many grammar e
ors
Few or inco
ectly used MLA or APA
citations
Some formatting
Printed paper for peer revision
workshop but not actively involved
during workshop
Missing some links between sections,
paragraphs, and sentences
The reader usually can follow written
ideas step by step without having to
make big leaps
Occasionally wordy but coherent
Usually proper grammar
More active than passive sentences
Use of most citations
eferences in
either MLA or APA
Formatted properly (12 pt font, Times
or Times New Roman; 1-inch margins;
8.5 x 11 paper)
Printed paper for peer revision
workshop and actively involved during
workshop
Link your sections, paragraphs, and
sentences together with clear
transitions
The reader can follow written ideas
step by step without having to make
ig leaps
Coherent, clear, and grammatically
co
ect
More active than passive sentences
Clarity (avoid wordiness)
Use of citations
eferences in either
MLA or APA
Uses provided Headers in paper (e.g.,
Introduction, My Position)
Double-spaced with 12-point Times
New Roman font and 1-inch margins
Printed paper for peer revision
workshop and actively involved during
the workshop