please remember to follow the assignment directions as well as APA guidelines and provide in-text citations throughout the paper as required. The theory section should also have in-text citations.
Writing a Position Paper PURPOSE: to present an arguable opinion about a topic. GOAL: to convince the audience that your opinion is valid and worth listening to. In a position paper assignment, you choose a side on a particular topic and through the research build up a case for your opinion or position. TOPIC: Your choice, must be criminal justice related. ORGANIZATION 1. An introduction · Introduce the topic & provide background information to explain why the topic is important · State your opinion or position on the topic (1 sentence) 2. The body · Argument #1 supporting your position · Argument #2 · Argument #3, 4, 5, 6, 7… 3. A conclusion · Restate your opinion or position · Show how the arguments supported your opinion The introduction should clearly identify the issue and state the author’s position. It should be written in a way that catches the reader’s attention. The body of the position paper may contain several paragraphs. Each paragraph should present an idea or main concept that clarifies a portion of the position statement and is supported by evidence or facts. The conclusion should summarize the main concepts and ideas and reinforce, without repeating, the introduction or body of the paper. SOURCES Reputable sources: textbook, books, scholarly articles, professional articles, journal articles, peer-reviewed articles, well-established newspapers (New York Times, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, PBS, CBS, USA Today) Access to reputable sources: SAGE Publishing, JSTOR, Google Scholar, ResearchGate WSU Library: https://libraries.wichita.edu/ FORMAT Style: APA Length: 3-4 pages (Title and References page not included) Spacing: double spaced Alignment: “Justify” Font: Times New Roman or Calibri Font Size: 12 CITATION · Include references page · https://www.citationmachine.net/ EXAMPLE TITLE PAGE Insert Header Blank: Running head: TITLE OF YOUR PAGE WRITTEN IN UPPER CASE 1 Title of your Paper Position Paper Introduction to Criminal Justice CJ191 Dr. Andra J. Bannister Your Name Date REFERENCES PAGE EXAMPLE REFERENCES (In alphabetical order; if you have only one reference you use “REFERENCE”) Schmalleger, F. (2016). Criminal Justice: A Brief Introduction. Pearson Education, Inc. Andra Bannister CJ 191- Introduction to Criminal Justice CJ 191 Position Paper Assignment As part of the requirements for this course, each student must write a well-thought out, well-written position paper whereby opinion is supported by facts and research gleaned from legitimate sources (no, you cannot use Wikipedia ) . The topic is your choice, as long as it relates to criminal justice in one way or another. Please note, you are more than welcome to write about a criminal justice issue in another Country, but make sure you are familiar or interested enough in it to conduct research. Whatever you choose, make sure it is something that interests you, since you will be researching it and developing a defendable position. If you need assistance with writing your paper, please visit the writing lab. Papers should be typed and double-spaced, and should be between three and four pages. Please include a bibliography/ resources page. This page is NOT included in the page count. Each paper will be scored according to the criteria below. Scoring Criteria: (worth 5 pts. each) 1) Is the paper well-written, well-constructed, and logical? ___________ 2) Did the student follow directions regarding length and style? ____________ 3) Did the student select a criminal justice topic and research it? ____________ 4) Was the position presented in a manner consistent with the literature? _________