HOW TO BUILD A

POSITION

GOALS:
O Determine the step in making a

position
O Define an assertion
O Break down the arguments of an
editorial article

Explore
O The first thing to do is to read a

widely about the topic.

O Do not rely on your own personal
experience and common sense
O Thomas Dewar, Minds are like
parachute, they only function when
open.

Brainstorm
O Two heads are better than one
O It is better to consult someone about

the argument
O Share ones idea to strengthen the
evidence and arguments

Create Assertion

What is assertion?
O Are opinions that people may or may

not agree with

O They are not general truth but they
are position on an issue
O Assertion is a statement of opinion

Example
OAll uniforms look the

same.
( This is not an assertion
because this is a general
truth, statement of facts)

Example
OUniform may be made

from different materials,

of either inferior or
superior quality, and this
is already an indicator of
social inequality.

Building an Arguments
O Write down several assertions
O One should evaluate whether all of

these assertion fit for a particular

theme or main idea. (theme/main
idea/thesis statement should be your
controlling idea)

Gather the Evidence

O It is imperative to make sure that

each assertion has strong and

compelling evidence.
O Evidence can be any of the following:
O Facts
O Statistics
O Interview with experts

OIt is good to recount ones

personal experiences as
these lend credibility and
have some persuasive
impact

Have Credible
Resources
O One must make sure that ones

sources are credible.

O The best resources are the:
O Law
O Declaration from government,

international non-government
organization (UN, ASEAN etc..)

O Other resources:
O Scholarly articles from academic

journals
O Books
O Articles from reputable newspaper,
magazines, television stations

OOne must be critical in

using the articles from a

internet, one must doublecheck their credibility.
OOne must know the
difference between facts
from opinion

OInherent integrity found in

printed over web resources.

OThe library is still the best
place to find the best
resources for your research.

Refine the Argument

O Argument made of three

elements:
O Assertion
O Evidence
O Explanation

O Explanation is often needed

such as clarification between

the link of the assertion and the
evidence.

O The use of further examples

and situation
O The BEST arguments are
arguments that cannot be
quickly discounted or set aside.

Prepare for the

Opposition
OOpposition are the negation

of the same position.

OList down some of their
strongest points.
ORefute each point

OFinding flaws in their

arguments
OChecking the quality of
their sources
OAnalyzing whether the
logical link between
assertion and evidence
holds up under closer
inspection

Refutation
O is not a mere summary of the

oppositions arguments
O It is a way to go against the
arguments of the opposition

Write the Position Paper

O It may start with a startling a

fact, a personal experience, or

an experience or an anecdote
O Catch readers attention
O At the end of the introductory
paragraph, state your stand.

O Your stand must be clear and

concise
O Enumerate each of the arguments,
composed of assertions, evidence
and explanations,
O Make sure that the arguments are
in the most persuasive way
possible.

OWrite the refutation of the

opposition
O It is enough to refute just one

argument from the

opposition.
O It remains to be shorter than
the arguments for your own
position
O Imagine yourself building a
strong arguments,

OWrite a conclusion
O It is best to end your paper
with strong insight, a
recommendation or a call to
action, or even an emotional
appeal
O Many positions sway their
reader by the strength of
their conclusions

Activity
Assertion

Evidence

Explanatio
n

Is the
argument
valid?
Why or
Why not?

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