In an argument or position paper, the writer should briefly introduce the argument and advance a definite claim. Determine whether the issue is one of substantiation, evaluation, or policy. Provide a context for the issue. Is it part of an ongoing debate, discussion, or controversy? What position have people taken in the past? Determine and address the intended readers. Decide how your argument is intended to influence them and write your piece accordingly. (You may want them to take action, support or oppose a policy, reconsider an established fact or belief, or make a value judgment.) Advance your argument rationally, with reference to the three appeals (ethos, pathos, logos). In the conclusion, you may simply wish to reemphasize your claim, leave the matter to the reader, or issue a call to action.
