Does a Position Paper Have a Title? Is It Double Spaced? Does It need References and Quotes?

A position paper is a piece of writing that offers a debatable viewpoint on a particular topic, usually the viewpoint of the author or another party. These papers are published in various fields, including academics, law, politics, and others. A position paper’s objective is to persuade the reader that your viewpoint is credible and defendable.

Note that you must carefully study the concepts you are contemplating before deciding on a topic, formulating your arguments, and setting up your essay. Observing and sticking to the paper’s structure is also pretty vital. Therefore, it is essential to ask yourself pertinent questions like does a position paper have a title? How many paragraphs are in a position paper? Stick around to answer these questions and more.

Does a Position Paper Have a Title?

An effective position title should have a title. The title is pretty vital because it gives the audience a glimpse of what your paper is about. It does so by specifying the essay’s narrow topic and informing the reader about the position the paper will be defending.

When composing the position paper, begin its outline with a compelling title that briefly summarizes your argument. Be careful when composing it because the title forms the first impression of your paper. Therefore, it should be no more than ten words. Get immediately to the point and avoid using an “abstract” or imaginative title.

Also see: Tips on how writer killer essay titles

Your title must enlighten the reader and persuade them if you intend to influence them. Note that the first chance you get to influence the reader is with your headline. Therefore, avoid wasting it.

Sometimes, coming up with a valid title for a position paper is pretty challenging. If you are having trouble thinking of one, it would be wise to compose the rest of the essay and return to the title later. Otherwise, it is pretty straightforward to generate the title when given a topic to write about or when responding to a precise question.

Do You Put References on a Position Paper?

Putting references on a position paper is key. It is crucial to provide references to your position paper to offer additional backing for your viewpoint beyond what is provided by the presented data, facts, and evidence. It is also key in presenting readers with links to other papers they could read to understand more about the context of your article.

Remember, extensive research is part of a well-versed position paper. Therefore, you should always cite your sources and provide a bibliography after the conclusion. Please bear in mind to properly acknowledge any other sources of material you use, including statistics, maps, past answers, and even quotes.

How Do You Quote in a Position Paper?

First, it is worth noting that quotes in position papers are applied when citing a source or directly quoting another writer. Every time you use someone else’s words and concepts in your essay, you should give them due credit. This should be both on the document’s Works Cited (MLA) or References (APA) page and next to the relevant quote (in-text citation).

A direct quotation needs to be enclosed in quotation marks (” “). Furthermore, it must be presented as a block quotation if it contains 40 characters or above. After the quotation, you should include an In-Text Citation to indicate its source. It is brief, placed in parentheses, contains the page number, and directs the reader to the full citation on your bibliography.

An in-text citation in the MLA style is added after the final quotation mark, which includes the author’s last name and the page reference. Similarly, the in-text citation comes after the final quotation mark in APA format. However, it is written slightly differently, with commas and p. before the page number. It also incorporates the date of publication.

When referencing both, you should place the title in quotation marks (“Title of Document”) for works that are components of a larger total. These works include journal articles, book chapters, reports, and websites. Similarly, the title should be in italics (“Title of Source”) for independent works, such as films and books.

Is a Position Paper Double Spaced?

It is no standard requirement that a position paper should be double-spaced. Some professors or publishers call for double-spaced papers, while others demand single-spaced articles.

The amount of line and paragraph spacing to employ is usually given as part of the formatting guidelines. For example, the instructions could require you to specifically employ double or single spacing. However, the line spacing is sometimes dependent on the number of words and pages required for a position paper. In that case, it is up to you to make the determination.

Nevertheless, some formatting requirements are standard for all position papers. For example, all printed papers should be in 12point Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins.

How Many Paragraphs are in a Position Paper?

Like a critical essay, a classic position paper comprises three basic paragraphs. They include the introduction, the body paragraph, and the conclusion. However, some position papers will comprise more than three paragraphs. This depends on the number of body paragraphs the author wishes to include.

The introduction should present the reader with background information on the paper’s subject matter. On the other hand, the body paragraphs provide supporting details and evidence to back them. Finally, the conclusion re-asserts your stance and the reasons for defending it.

What Should Be Avoided in Writing a Position Paper?

As mentioned earlier in this article, a position paper’s objective is to argue and defend a particular opinion to persuade the reader that your viewpoint is credible. In trying to write a well-versed paper, there are mistakes that you should avoid. Such errors include;

• An Ambiguous or General Thesis

You need to establish your stance instantly in the paper with your thesis argument. Your stance must be pretty straightforward too. Similarly, if you are composing a position paper, your viewpoint must be debatable in some way. It can’t just be a general statement that most people would agree with. Otherwise, your viewpoint is not unique.

• Plagiarism

A position paper needs to be as original as possible, and committing plagiarism would indicate that you have stolen someone else’s ideas and points. To avoid doing so, ensure to rephrase your work and acknowledge other sources by citing them.

• Grammatical Errors

Grammatical errors are a sign of a poorly composed position paper. In your paper, avoid contractions, spelling and punctuation mistakes, and the improper use of tenses. You can only avoid such blunders by carefully proofreading and revising your work before submission.

Conclusion

So, does a position paper have a title? After reading this article, you can agree that a title is a key component of a position paper. You can also agree that there are a lot of guidelines to observe and uphold when composing one. Therefore, utilize this information and better your position paper writing skills.