Position and Proposal Arguments

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1 Position and Proposal Arguments Developing a Position Argument Write a position paper to: Organize and outline your viewpoint on an issue Formally inform others of your position as a foundation to build resolution to difficult problems Present a unique, though biased, position on a controversial issue Frame the discussion in order to define the "playing field." This can put you in an advantageous position with those who may not be so well prepared as regards the issues behind their positions Establish your credibility Here you are demonstrating that you have a command of the issues and the research behind them, and can present them clearly Let your passion be demonstrated in the force of your argument rather than in the use of emotional terms Guide you in being consistent in maintaining your position in negotiation The better prepared you are the more disadvantaged are your opponents and more likely they will defer to you Developing a Proposal Argument I. Your must first discover a way to convince your audience that a problem exists. Begin by drafting a problem statement that outlines 3 goals, values, or desired states that you and your audience SHARE. Then describe how the realization of these goals/values/desired states is being prevented by the condition you want to change. You should be able to draw on Paper 2 for much of the content of this section. II. Next you must propose a solution that will help solve the problem you've just described. The key here lies in the details. A bad proposal is vague and full of pie-in-the-sky ideas about how to solve the world's problems. A good proposal details specific, stepby-step instructions that an audience could follow without having to fill in the gaps. Even more important, your proposal must be FEASIBLE, i.e., reasonably capable of being enacted. Time, money, and labor are your foremost considerations here.

2 III. Finally you must provide justifications for enacting your solution. You will have already demonstrated that it is POSSIBLE to enact your proposal. Now you must prove beyond doubt that doing so will help solve the problems described in the first section of your argument. Writing a Position Paper The purpose of a position paper is to generate support on an issue. It describes a position on an issue and the rational for that position. The position paper is based on facts that provide a solid foundation for your argument. You will eventually write a full position paper, but for now you are only writing the first 2-3 pages (Define and limit your issue carefully for Paper II). 1. In the full position paper that you will write later, you will: Use evidence to support your position, such as statistical evidence or dates and events. Validate your position with authoritative references or primary source quotations. Examine the strengths and weaknesses of your position. And Possibly evaluate possible solutions and suggest courses of action (optional). Choose an issue where there is a clear division of opinion and which is arguable with facts and inductive reasoning. You may choose an issue on which you have already formed an opinion. However, in writing about this issue you must examine your opinion of the issue critically. 2. Prior to writing your position paper (final paper), define and limit your issue carefully (Paper II). Social issues are complex with multiple solutions. Narrow the topic of your position paper to something that is manageable. Research your issue thoroughly, consulting experts and obtaining primary documents. Consider political/social climate when evaluating the issue. 3. The following structure is typical of a position paper (beginning): An introduction Identification of the issue Background information Supporting evidence or facts A discussion of both sides of the issue The introduction should clearly identify the issue. It should be written in a way that catches the reader s attention. The beginning of the position paper may contain

3 several paragraphs and pages. Each paragraph should present an idea or main concept that clarifies a portion of the issue and is supported by evidence or facts. Evidence can be primary source quotations, statistical data, interviews with experts, and indisputable dates or events. The body may begin with some background information and should incorporate a discussion of both sides of the issue. Writing a Proposal Paper Proposal claims ask the audience to act in a certain way - to do something based on the information you provide and the argument you make, and the claims are often stated as "should/should not" statements. You can, however, use a more sophisticated verb construction that will carry more weight than "should/should not." For example, "Offering more courses via the Internet offers innumerable benefits for SMCC students." The claim of a proposal argument urges an action to occur, usually in response to a problem. The reasons in the argument justify why the action is to be taken. In most cases, getting people to act on your claims means that your argument must have "presence" as well as intellectual force. An argument is said to have "presence" when the reader or listener senses the immediacy of the speaker/ writer's words. To achieve your writer's presence in your argument, you can appeal to your readers' emotions through the use of compelling details, examples, and brief scenes that illustrate the seriousness of the problem or the consequences of not acting on your proposal. However, don't underestimate the power of a straight-forward, concisely written argument. Many people are put off by writer manipulation. Should you choose to use an appeal to emotion, consider limiting it to your introduction or conclusion. As a proponent of change, you face the challenge of the burden of proof. You need to prove that something needs to be fixed or changed, that it can in fact be fixed, and that the cost of fixing it will be outweighed by the benefits. You will need to show that : the current method of operation isn t working. even though it appears as though the current method of operation is working, it isn't, or there is a better way. You will need to try to predict future consequences as reasonably as possible. Your audience will see through gross exaggeration. Also, do not get so caught up in tugging at your readers' heart strings that you forget to address the deeper issues at hand, i.e. the central claim of the argument. Developing a Proposal Argument Convince your reader that a problem exists. This can occur in one of two places: 1. either in the introduction before the claim is given, or 2. in the body of the paper as the first reason why the proposal for change is necessary. 3. You will do option 1 for this first paper (Paper II)

4 You will need to establish your writers' presence, also known as pathos from the Rhetorical Triangle. Know what your underlying assumptions are so that you may effectively address them in your essay. If your reader sees the problem as "just the way things are" rather than issues that need to be changed, you will need to be able to challenge the underlying assumptions. In the final proposal paper, you will need to do all of the following (not Paper 2): Show the specifics of your proposal. Give your reader the thesis. Your primary purpose at this point is to stress the feasibility of your claim, including cost if necessary. Discussing the step-by-step implementation will help win the support of your audience. You will also need to show how your proposal will solve either part of or all of your problem. You will also need to convince your reader that the problem can indeed be solved. The justification: convincing your reader that your proposal should be enacted : the amount of time spent on this part will vary according to argument and proposal. If your readers already agree that the problem is serious, then you will only have to show that your proposal is feasible and won't be too much of a financial burden. If your reader doesn't share the assumption that the problem is serious, then you will have to explore in detail of your reasons for believing that "X" should be done. Touching the right pressure points : your proposal argument needs to be addressed to the people with the power to act on your proposal. Make your argument ties into the interests of those who have the power to make your proposal happen. Special Problems of Proposal Arguments Establish your authority through ethos, pathos, and logos. Don't neglect any one of these, for an imbalance in the three can undermine your proposal.. Overcome the cautious or skeptical nature of your audience. You'll have to address the attitude of, "If it isn't broken, don't fix it." You can motivate your reader to endorse change if you make it personal for them. Make the reader see how the problem will impact his/her world or the worlds of those he/she cares about. Predict future consequences. Many ideas that seem great at the time often come back to haunt us. The same is true in proposal arguments where you seek to change an existing system of operation. You can't know with any degree of certainty what will happen in the future, but you can look at historical precedent and make an analogous argument, assuming the analogy works, for certain consequences or rewards of enacting your proposal. However, be very careful. If the odds are too great, your audience will tend to resist change.

5 Evaluate the consequences. As you learned with the causal analysis essay, nothing happens in a vacuum. One event will, in some way, impact another and so on. The same is true for proposal arguments. When you propose change, you will be setting in motion a series of events to reach a desired end. There will be casualties along the way, and you need to be prepared to address them. Sometimes, the consequences are a matter of money. Sometimes it's time and efficiency. Sometimes, it's lives. You should be prepared to "evaluate" the risks and benefits of your proposal and justify the same to your readers. Taking Stock of What you Have: Will your Topic Work? Use the following questions to determine whether or not you have chosen a topic that will work well for the assignment. 1. Does a real problem exist? 2. Will my proposal really solve the existing problem without causing bigger problems? 3. Is there another, simpler means of solving the problem? 4. Is my solution really practical? 5. What are the consequences and undetermined problems associated with my proposal? Writing Your Proposal Argument Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Why is the problem a problem? (Paper 2) 2. For whom is the problem a problem? (Paper 2) 3. How will these people suffer if the problem is not solved? (details) (Paper 2) 4. Who has the power to solve the problem? (Paper 2) 5. Why hasn't the problem been solved up to this point? (Paper 2) 6. How can the problem be solved? (Final Paper) 7. What are the possible benefits of acting on your proposal? (Final Paper) 8. What costs are associated with your proposal? (Final Paper) 9. Who will bear these costs? (Final Paper) 10. Why should this proposal be implemented? (Final Paper) 11. Why is it better than alternative proposals? (Final Paper) Organizing a Proposal Argument You may use the following options to help you organize your full sentence outline.

6 Sample Outline I. Present the problem that needs to be solved. (Paper 2) A. Describe the problem B. Provide a history for the problem C. Argue that the problem can be solved, but don't solve it yet II. Present the proposal. A. Present your claim (thesis) B. Explain the specifics of the proposal III. Provide a summary of the opposing viewpoints. A. Counter Argue: (this section can summarize opposing solutions and discuss why they aren't valid) IV. Justification: Convince the reader that the proposal should be adopted. A. Solution is Feasible: Reason 1, presented and developed B. Solution Solves the Problem: Reason 2, presented and developed C. Solution is the Best Solution: Reason 3, presented and developed etc. V. Conclusion A. Restate Your Proposed Solution B. Summarize main arguments C. Entice your readers to act