Position Paper Instructions:
As you work through this final unit, you will research an issue, concern, or a topic that interests you and formulate your own position on it. Your research and writing on this issue will consider what others are saying about it. Once you have a topic selected, you will want to begin gathering and working with the five sources required for this essay.
Source Requirements:
• Five sources are required.
• One source must be from a peer-reviewed academic journal.
• Popular sources may be used but must be credible.
• One source can be an interview conducted by you.
University Libraries:
• Students will use University Library databases to locate and evaluate sources.
• March 26: We will meet in room 219 of University Libraries to begin your research. During that visit, a research librarian will show you how to access library databases, how
to work with keywords for searches, how to save potential source articles, and more.
Essay Requirements:
Learning how to locate and use reliable sources that speak to a topic you want to research is crucial to creating an academic research essay that is informative, authentic, and accurate. You
will want to work very closely with your sources, moving between your voice and those of other writers by commenting on how they address the topic as you develop your own perspective on it.
In this paper, you must include:
● An informative introduction to the topic, including a clear thesis statement;
● Bold and clear topic sentences that open sections and paragraphs with points about your
topic that you go on to develop;
● At least three quotations;
● At least two paraphrases;
● At least three moments of synthesis;
● Demonstrate knowledge of how to use ICE, including parenthetical citations;
● Demonstrate capability to provide deep level of analysis;
● An MLA formatted Works Cited page.
