Government & Law
Position Paper – Preliminary Organizer
Name:
________________
One of the most important things you must consider as you write your Position Paper is how well your evidence, arguments and thesis align with each
other. Your thesis is another word for your opinion or position on your public policy issue. No matter what you call it, your final paper must have a strong
thesis, position or opinion that is supported by solid arguments and evidence from current and reliable sources.
Evidence → Arguments → Thesis
To help ensure your paper is aligned properly, read over the evidence you’ve collected so far about your public policy issue. Do any major
themes, patterns or big ideas emerge? Turn these themes, patterns or ideas into arguments by asserting something about your topic. A
good argument will be a complete sentence that addresses the original question and includes a “because” or “so what” factor. For
example, a good argument on the public policy issue of whether government should prohibit burning the American flag might be: “Although
it may be offensive to many people, burning the flag is protected by the First Amendment right to free expression.”
To help you begin organizing your ideas and ensure proper alignment of evidence, arguments and thesis, use the notes and sources that
you have collected to answer the following questions and complete the organizer below. This will help both of us to see how much more
research you’ll need to complete and in what areas you’ll need additional support before writing your final paper.
This assignment will count as a 20-point quiz.
Your Topic. What public policy issue will you write about?
Background Information. List the most important background information about your public policy issue that you will include in your
paper. Bullet points are OK. For each, include a brief citation to your source.
Evidence Group #1 (Use bullets and for
each include a brief citation to your source.)
Evidence Group #2 (Use bullets and for
each include a brief citation to your source.)
Evidence Group #3 (Use bullets and for
each include a brief citation to your source.)
Argument #1 (full sentence):
Argument #2 (full sentence):
Argument #3 (full sentence):
Thesis/Position/Opinion (full sentence):
Suggestion for Action. What should the state or federal government do – or do differently – about your public policy issue? How do you think it will
improve or resolve the situation?
Self-Reflection. Re-read your organizer and answer the following question in complete sentences.
1. How well do my evidence and arguments support my thesis?
2. In what area do I need more work or support for my final position paper? Come up with at least two (2) things you can do to improve your paper.