JUS 215: Position Paper Guidelines and Ru
ic
Overview
Court cases and their decisions establish a basis for the future. For these assignments, you will prepare a position paper that contains your concise and structured
opinion of the decisions made in each case. The Midterm Position Paper will be submitted in Module Four. The Final Position Paper will be submitted in Module
Seven.
Your paper should have an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Introduction (of your main element)
o State your thesis (topic and opinion you have chosen)
o Introduce main points of argument
• Body (Support for your position, containing evidence and examples)
o Summarize the opposing viewpoint
o Address all sides of the issue
o Detail your position on the issue
o Include evidence for key points that support your position
• Conclusion (Closing statement)
o Restate your thesis
o Summation of key points
Prompt
The purpose of a position paper is to identify an issue, your position, and rationale for that position in order to convince your audience that your opinion is valid.
Refer to this helpful resource for writing an effective position paper. Your paper should include:
• Objective views for and against your position—not a descriptive or opinion paper! (analysis)
• Statements that define the major issue as well as arguments and counterarguments that support your position (background). Include information on
the major points of the cases (differences and similarities), who the victims were, which victim state or federal rights were crucial in these cases, victim
services that were involved, and any related crime theory and victim typology.
• Premise and thesis. Your paper should have a premise on which you have based your thesis. Personal statement written in third person (per APA)
concerning the position and the issue (e.g., A
aham Lincoln’s premise was that all people are created equal; his thesis that slavery ought to be
abolished) (Thesis and position)
• Statement of the importance of the issue to society (real-world). What were the implications of these court decisions on society as a whole?
https:
web.archive.org/we
XXXXXXXXXX/http%3A/aspen.edu/cy
ary/positionpaper.htm
Midterm Position Paper: For Module Four, you will review the two cases below and prepare a position paper that contains your concise and structured opinion
of the decisions made in each case. The midterm should be a minimum of 2-3 pages, not including cover page and resources. This submission will be graded
with the Position Paper Ru
ic.
REGINALD MEEKS, Petitioner-Appellant, vs. DAVID MCKUNE, et al., Respondent.
Case No XXXXXXXXXX
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
607 F. Supp. 2d 1235; 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30846
April 9, 2009, Decided
April 9, 2009, Filed
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, versus CONRAD DOMINIC POOLE, Defendant - Appellant.
No XXXXXXXXXX
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
241 Fed. Appx. 153; 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 18114
April 18, 2007, Submitted
July 30, 2007, Decided
Final Position Paper: In Module Seven, you will submit your final position paper. For this paper, you will be required to identify a case (you may not
use the cases above that were used for your Midterm Position Paper) that relates to a topic or issue covered in this course and prepare a position paper.
Reach out to your instructor if you have any questions when identifying a case. Your paper should be a minimum of 3-4 pages, not including cover
page and resources. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the
incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Position Paper Ru
ic.
http:
www.ca10.uscourts.gov/opinions/09/ XXXXXXXXXXpdf
https:
web.archive.org/we
XXXXXXXXXX/http:/www.ca4.uscourts.gov/Opinions/Unpublished/055049.U.pdf
Ru
ic
Requirements of submission: Written components of projects must follow these formatting guidelines when applicable: double spacing, 12-point Times New
Roman font, one-inch margins, and discipline-appropriate citations.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Main Elements Includes almost all of the main
elements and requirements
and cites multiple examples to
illustrate each element
Includes most of the main
elements and requirements and
cites many examples to illustrate
each element
Includes some of the main
elements and requirements
Does not include any of the
main elements and
equirements
25
Inquiry and Analysis Explores multiple issues
through extensive collection
and in-depth analysis of
evidence to make informed
conclusions
Explores some issues through
collection and in-depth analysis
of evidence to make informed
conclusions
Explores minimal issues
through collection and
analysis of evidence to make
informed conclusions
Does not explore issues
through collection and
analysis of evidence and does
not make informed
conclusions
20
Integration and
Application
All of the course concepts are
co
ectly applied
Most of the course concepts are
co
ectly applied
Some of the course concepts
are co
ectly applied
Does not co
ectly apply any
of the course concepts
10
Critical Thinking Demonstrates comprehensive
exploration of issues and ideas
efore accepting or forming an
opinion or conclusion
Demonstrates moderate
exploration of issues and ideas
efore accepting or forming an
opinion or conclusion
Demonstrates minimal
exploration of issues and
ideas before accepting or
forming an opinion or
conclusion
Does not demonstrate
exploration of issues and
ideas before accepting or
forming an opinion or
conclusion
20
Research Incorporates many scholarly
esources effectively that
eflect depth and
eadth of
esearch
Incorporates some scholarly
esources effectively that reflect
depth and
eadth of research
Incorporates very few
scholarly resources that
eflect depth and
eadth of
esearch
Does not incorporate
scholarly resources that
eflect depth and
eadth of
esearch
15
Writing
(Mechanics/Citations)
No e
ors related to
organization, grammar and
style, and citations
Minor e
ors related to
organization, grammar and style,
and citations
Some e
ors related to
organization, grammar and
style, and citations
Major e
ors related to
organization, grammar and
style, and citations
10
Total: 100