assignment on position

5 Steps to Writing a Position Paper

• Writing Research Papers
• Writing Essays
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

In a position paper assignment, your charge is to choose a side on a particular topic, sometimes controversial, and build up a case for your opinion or position. You will use facts, opinion, statistics, and other forms of evidence to convince your reader that your position is the best one. To do this, you'll collect research for your position paper and craft an outline in order to create a well-constructed argument.

Select a Topic for Your Paper

Your position paper centers around a topic that is supported by research. Your topic and position have to hold up when challenged, so it's helpful to research a few topics and pick the one you can best argue, even if it may not reflect your personal beliefs. In many cases, the subject matter and your topic are not as important as your ability to make a strong case. Your topic can be simple or complex, but your argument must be sound and logical.

Conduct Preliminary Research

Preliminary research is necessary to determine whether sufficient evidence is available to back up your stance. You don’t want to get too attached to a topic that falls apart under a challenge.

Search a few reputable sites, like education (.edu) sites and government (.gov) sites, to find professional studies and statistics. If you come up with nothing after an hour of searching, or if you find that your position doesn’t stand up to the findings on reputable sites, choose another topic. This could save you from a lot of frustration later.

Challenge Your Own Topic

You must know the opposite view as well as you know your own stance when you take a position. Take the time to determine all the possible challenges that you might face as you support your view. Your position paper must address the opposing view and chip away at it with counter-evidence. Consider having friends, colleagues, or family debate the topic with you to get alternative points of view that you might not have readily considered yourself. When you find arguments for the other side of your position, you can address them in a fair manner, and then state why they are not sound.

Another helpful exercise is to draw a line down the middle of a plain sheet of paper and list your points on one side and list opposing points on the other side. Which argument is really better? If it looks like your opposition might outnumber you with valid points, you should reconsider your topic or your stance on the topic.

Continue to Collect Supporting Evidence

Once you’ve determined that your position is supportable and the opposite position is (in your opinion) weaker than your own, you are ready to branch out with your research. Go to a library and conduct a search, or ask the reference librarian to help you find more sources. You can, of course, conduct online research as well, but it's important to know how to properly vet the validity of the sources you use. Ensure that your articles are written by reputable sources, and be wary of singular sources that differ from the norm, as these are often subjective rather than factual in nature.

Try to collect a variety of sources, and include both an expert’s opinion (doctor, lawyer, or professor, for example) and personal experience (from a friend or family member) that can add an emotional appeal to your topic. These statements should support your own position but should read differently than your own words. The point of these is to add depth to your argument or provide anecdotal support.

Create an Outline

A position paper can be arranged in the following format:

1. Introduce your topic with some basic background information. Build up to your thesis sentence , which asserts your position. Sample points:

• For decades, the FDA has required that warning labels should be placed on certain products that pose a threat to public health.
• Fast food restaurants are bad for our health.
• Fast food packages should contain warning labels.

2. Introduce possible objections to your position. Sample points:

• Such labels would affect the profits of major corporations.
• Many people would see this as overreaching government control.
• Whose job is it to determine which restaurants are bad? Who draws the line?
• The program would be costly.

3. Support and acknowledge the opposing points. Just be sure you aren't discrediting your own views. Sample points:

• It would be difficult and expensive for any entity to determine which restaurants should adhere to the policy.
• Nobody wants to see the government overstepping its boundaries.
• Funding would fall on the shoulders of taxpayers.

4. Explain that your position is still the best one, despite the strength of counter-arguments. This is where you can work to discredit some of the counter-arguments and support your own. Sample points:

• The cost would be countered by the improvement of public health.
• Restaurants might improve the standards of food if warning labels were put into place.
• One role of the government is to keep citizens safe.
• The government already does this with drugs and cigarettes.

5. Summarize your argument and restate your position. End your paper focusing on your argument and avoid the counter-arguments. You want your audience to walk away with your view on the topic being one that resonates with them.

When you write a position paper, write with confidence and state your opinion with authority. After all, your goal is to demonstrate that your position is the correct one.

• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
• How to Write a Persuasive Essay
• Writing an Opinion Essay
• How to Write a Research Paper That Earns an A
• Choosing a Strong Research Topic
• Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue
• The Five Steps of Writing an Essay
• What Is Expository Writing?
• How to Write and Structure a Persuasive Speech
• Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition
• Tips for Writing an Art History Paper
• Persuasive Writing: For and Against
• Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
• How To Write an Essay
• How to Write a Solid Thesis Statement
• Ethos, Logos, Pathos for Persuasion

10.1 Making a Case: Defining a Position Argument

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Apply key rhetorical concepts in presenting a position argument.
• Articulate how position and argument conventions are shaped by purpose, culture, and reasoning.

In writing, a genre is a category of literary composition. The genre for this chapter is a position arguments . In a position argument, your purpose is to present a perspective , or viewpoint, about a debatable issue and persuade readers that your perspective is correct or at least worthy of serious consideration. A debatable issue is one that is subject to uncertainty or to a difference of opinion; in college classes, a debatable issue is one that is complex and involves critical thinking. These issues are not rooted in absolutes; instead, they invite writers to explore all sides to discover the position they support. In examining and explaining their positions, writers provide reasoning and evidence about why their stance is correct.

Many people may interpret the word argument to mean a heated disagreement or quarrel. However, this is only one definition. In writing, argument —what Aristotle called rhetoric —means “working with a set of reasons and evidence for the purpose of persuading readers that a particular position is not only valid but also worthy of their support.” This approach is the basis of academic position writing.

Your instructor likely will require your position argument to include these elements, which resemble those of Aristotle’s classical argument. However, as you continue the development of your writing identity throughout this course, consider ways in which you want to support these conventions or challenge them for rhetorical purposes.

• Introduce the issue and your position on the issue.
• Explain and describe the issue.
• Address the opposition.
• Provide evidence to support your position.
• Offer your conclusion.

Position arguments must provide reasoning and evidence to support the validity of the author’s viewpoint. By offering strong support, writers seek to persuade their audiences to understand, accept, agree with, or take action regarding their viewpoints. In a college class, an audience is usually an instructor and other classmates. Outside of an academic setting, however, an audience includes anyone who might read the argument—employers, employees, colleagues, neighbors, and people of different ages or backgrounds or with different interests.

Before you think about writing, keep in mind that presenting a position is already part of your everyday life. You present reasoning to frame evidence that supports your opinions, whether you are persuading a friend to go to a certain restaurant, or persuading your supervisor to change your work schedule. Your reasoning and evidence emphasize the importance of the issue—to you. Position arguments are also valuable outside of academia. Opinion pieces and letters to the editor are essentially brief position texts that express writers’ viewpoints on current events topics. Moreover, government organizations and political campaigns often use position arguments to present detailed views of one side of a debatable issue.

On a larger scale, arguing in favor of a position is deeply rooted in the American political and social systems, in which free speech and, by extension, open debate are the essence of the democratic process. They are also at the heart of the academic process, in which scholars investigate issues dealing with science, society, and culture , or shared values, customs, arts, and other traits of any social group. However, in the academic world, unlike the political and legal worlds, posing position arguments is usually less about winning or losing than about changing minds, altering perceptions, or defending beliefs and ideas.

It is most useful to look at a position argument as rational disagreement rather than as a quarrel or contest. Rational disagreements occur most often in areas of genuine uncertainty about what is right, best, or most reasonable. In disciplines such as literature and history, position arguments commonly take the form of interpretation or analysis, in which the meaning of an idea or text is disputed. In disciplines such as engineering and business, position arguments commonly examine a problem and propose a solution. For example, a position paper in engineering might focus on improvement recommendations for systems in the oil and gas industry; a position paper in business might focus on technological changes that would benefit a particular company or industry.

In college, position arguments aim to persuade readers to agree with a particular viewpoint. Assignments commonly require you to take a stance on an issue and defend your position against attacks from skeptics or naysayers. You are asked to choose an issue, present a viewpoint about it, and support it with reasoning and evidence. Remember these basic points:

• Choose a debatable issue. A position argument that states, for instance, that three-year-old children can be left alone all evening is one with no room for debate, so the topic would not lead to an effective argument. Without a debate, there is no argument.
• Present a clear, definite viewpoint. Readers do not want to guess your position. Although you present both sides of a position, readers must be clear about which side you support.
• Support your viewpoint with reasoning and evidence. If, for instance, you are writing about backing a local proposal to remove a statute of a Civil War general who fought for the Confederacy, readers need to know why you favor its removal, why the statue was first erected, and how removal will help the community. You would then support each with cause-and-effect reasoning and evidence. For example, details that explain why you favor removal might include the general’s support of the Southern economic system sustained by enslavement. Details that explain why the statue was erected might include that the general was from the town and that his family was rich and influential enough to fund the creation and placement of the statue. Details that explain how the removal of the statue will affect the community might include the promotion of a feeling of solidarity with local citizens of all races and the end of negative publicity resulting from association with the general.
• Identify counterclaims (dissenting opinions). When you address differing or contradictory opinions, show empathy , the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, for those with dissenting views. If, for instance, people oppose a proposed new law because they think it will cost too much money, then explain why the money will be well spent or offset by savings in the future. Neither antagonize nor dismiss the opposition.

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Examining Sample Assignment 2: Position Paper

Let’s examine another, more advanced assignment, still from a first-year writing class. As with the previous example, I have left out some of the irrelevant particulars, but otherwise the assignment is complete. For a little context, this is an assignment given late in the term after students have explored writing conventions in the natural and social sciences.

Unlike the natural sciences and the social sciences where objectivity is a goal, the humanities look specifically at the ways in which people make meaning. Research in the humanities thus involves looking at values, investments, and reasoning, among other things. Meanings are not objective, but that does not mean that all positions are equally valuable. Researchers in the humanities not only work to understand how people make meaning, but they also evaluate those meanings according to a range of criteria depending on the particular discipline. In this assignment, you’ll be analyzing the logic and support that people use to make a claim and support a position, and you’ll use your analysis to take a position of your own.

Choosing and Researching a Topic

Think about issues in our society where reasonable, rational people disagree. The possibilities are myriad, but for this assignment, I’m asking you to choose one from ProCon.org. Choose one in which you are interested, but do not choose any of the archived topics from that site (archived topics are not currently active and their information is out-of-date).

Read the information on ProCon.org carefully, paying particular attention to the kinds of logic and evidence that are used to support each side in a controversy. While you likely already have a position on the topic you have chosen, pay particular attention to the arguments that you find most convincing and the ones you find least convincing on both sides. Why does one point make more sense than another? You’ll be doing this kind of analysis in your paper.

You will supplement the information on this site with information from another source, one of your choosing from the web. Given that your issue is a current subject of debate in our society, the web can be an excellent resource for information—if you know how to search effectively and evaluate what you find. In class we’ll talk about how to do this. Your source can either support your position or oppose it; that choice is yours.

Once you have selected at least one relevant and reputable source, you’ll want to read that piece carefully, too, again paying particular attention to the logic and evidence the source uses. This source will supplement what you find on ProCon.org.

Making an Argument

When you write a position paper, you are making an argument, also called making a claim. In order to successfully make an argument, you must do a number of things:

• Provide a clear explanation of the issue at hand. Do not assume that your reader already understands the points of disagreement or the background on the issue you are discussing. Explain it.
• Clearly state your position in your thesis. Without a definite statement about your position, you aren’t making an argument, and your reader will likely be confused about what you think.
• Provide reasons for your position that are both clearly explained and well supported by evidence. You have to have enough evidence and enough explanation for your reader to understand your position. Do not assume that your reader will simply “get it” if you present a general idea or some evidence.
• Address at least one key opposing argument. If you ignore opposing positions, your reader will wonder what you are hiding or if that other argument is better than yours.
• Use a reasonable tone throughout your writing. Keep in mind that your purpose in making an argument is to convince your readers that your position is valid. They may not agree with you, but if you are reasonable throughout, your readers are more likely to understand your point.

Like the experience-based theory critique, this kind of essay has no set structure, and in class we’ll talk about how to make organizational decisions about this material.

When I evaluate your position statement, I will be looking to see how well you have met the goals of this assignment. That is, I will be looking for how well you presented and supported your claim with both evidence and reasoning. In addition, I will be looking for how well you address counterarguments and the tone you have used. If all you do is assert that your position is right or if you take no clear position, your paper will not be successful.

In addition, your comparison will need to meet the general criteria of any good academic writing: a clear focus, logical and purposeful organization, strong use of supporting evidence, and thoughtful development of the ideas you are presenting. And it will need to be well written both stylistically and grammatically.

Examining the Verbs in Key Sentences

In this assignment, we have a few more key sentences that give us information about what we are supposed to do in this assignment.

The first statement (“Make an argument (take a position) on a controversial issue in U.S. society.”) isn’t really one of them. This sentence doesn’t help much unless we already know what it makes to make an argument in college. When I run into sentences like this, I make note of that sentence and then keep looking for guidance.

We find some in the last sentence in the first paragraph:

In this assignment, you’ ll be analyzing the logic and support that people use to make a claim and support a position, and you’ ll use your analysis to take a position of your own.

The first part is reasonably clear: we are analyzing, and the first “use” refers to what other people do, not us.

The second “use” is a little more complex. We are supposed to use the analysis we have done in the first part to “take a position,” also referred to as “make an argument” in the opening description. Again, unless we already know how to make an argument, this one isn’t as clear, so again, I’ll hold onto this one but plan to come back.

The section about “Choosing a Research Topic” gives us guidance on which topic to use for this assignment and about finding an additional source, and the second paragraph tells us a bit about how we are supposed to think about the reading that we are doing:

Read the information on ProCon.org carefully, paying particular attention to the kinds of logic and evidence that are used to support each side in a controversy. While you likely already have a position on the topic you have chosen , pay particular attention to the arguments that you find most convincing and the ones you find least convincing on both sides. Why does one point make more sense than another? You’ ll be doing this kind of analysis in your paper.

The verbs are a little less helpful in this paragraph, but the verb phrase “pay attention” helps us focus (“pay” by itself doesn’t make sense as the verb; this is an idiom , so we need the whole phrase). We can see that we are supposed to read all of our sources for the logic and evidence they use, and think about why we find some positions more convincing than others.

The section “Making an Argument” is actually much more helpful (as we might expect) because it explicitly tells us what we have to do in order to make an argument. We can see this in the verbs that begin each of the bullet points:

• Provide a clear explanation of the issue at hand.
• Clearly state your position in your thesis.
• Provide reasons for your position….
• Address at least one key opposing argument.
• Use a reasonable tone throughout your writing.

That looks like a blueprint.

Applying Bloom

Once again, let’s summarize the tasks in this assignment:

• Read and understand the kinds of logic and evidence used by both sides in arguments around a controversial issue.
• Explain that issue to our audience, including both sides (although we can emphasize the position we favor in our explanation because we only have to include one opposing argument).
• Take a position about that issue and explain our reasons for taking that position.
• Be sensible in our language use, not overly emotional.

Before jumping into the next section, take what you know about the task in the sample assignment and see which types of knowledge and which cognitive processes you believe the assignment is looking for.

After you read the rest of this chapter, decide whether or not you agree with my analysis.

Kinds of Cognitive Processes

To determine the kinds of cognitive tasks , again, let’s look at the verbs and again, let’s walk up the list of cognitive tasks.

As with most writing tasks in college, the assignment isn’t asking us to remember because we can reference our sources.

We are being asked to understand because we have to explain the sides of the argument. We also need to understand procedural knowledge – how logic and evidence are used in the arguments that we are reading.

This assignment asks us to apply the knowledge that we have gained about logic and evidence in our own argument, but notice that this task is implicit rather than explicit in the assignment. Direct application would ask us to use rhetorical principles like ethos , logos , and pathos to support a position, but that’s not what this assignment asks for. This assignment asks us to use our knowledge of how the sides make their arguments as we make our own.

Similarly, while we are doing some analysis —breaking the argument down into logic and types of evidence—this work is not the focus of this assignment. We will have to do some of this type of thinking, but only in the service of explaining our own position.

On the other hand, evaluating is a key cognitive process in this assignment. We are being asked to make a claim and support that claim with logic and evidence from our sources. Choosing a side (or even arguing for the merits of both sides) is making a judgment about which position is better. Notice that evaluation on the grid relies on “criteria and standards.” In other words, part of evaluating is articulating why we value what we value.

This assignment also asks us to create because we are expected to explain our own position and reasoning. We are not simply reporting someone else’s ideas and agreeing or disagreeing with those (though there may be some of that in our work). Articulating our own ideas is a creative act—albeit not as obviously creative as writing something like a poem or short story.

To summarize, this assignment asks us primarily to evaluate, but also to understand, apply, analyze, and create.

Kinds of Knowledge

Using our understanding what we need to discuss, we can use Bloom’s to help us understand the kinds of knowledge we need to demonstrate.

Just as with the previous assignment , we’re going to have summarize; in this case, though, we’re summarizing the opposing arguments involved in an issue. Some of the knowledge we’ll be working with will be factual because we are simply reporting information and ideas held by others. But some will be conceptual , since we have to explain the differences between the sides.

We’re also looking at procedural knowledge when we examine the kinds of logic and evidence that the different sides use in their arguments. In this case, the procedure isn’t what we normally think of (e.g., how to make our own argument) but rather understanding how someone else has made one.

And finally, there is an element of metacognitive knowledge here. When the assignment asks us to think about why we are convinced by some arguments, the professor is asking us to reflect on the basis for our judgments when we think about the merits of someone’s position.

So, for this assignment, we are using all four types of knowledge in Bloom’s Taxonomy .

Notice that most of our guidance about the kinds of knowledge we’re using comes in the section when the professor explains our sources and how we’re supposed to use them. This is true for many writing assignments in college, since many of them require that we use sources.

Putting It Together

This assignment is more complex than the previous one. It’s asking us to use all four kinds of knowledge and all but one of the cognitive processes. But part of the trick for doing this assignment well is to pay attention to the emphasis put on these elements.

Of the types of knowledge, conceptual and procedural appear to be most important. Yes, we need to relay factual information from the various positions, but it’s more important that we understand how those positions use logic and evidence so that we can apply those to our own position.

Evaluating is the most important cognitive process when making arguments. Arguments require constant judgment and justification, which in turn require that we evaluate sources, the ways in which sources are used, and logical statements and implications, among other elements. We have to be able to analyze and create to make a successful argument, too. But if we don’t do the evaluative work, our argument could be seen as baseless and without merit.

A usual or customary way of doing something. In writing, the term is most commonly applied to grammar and citation.

A group of words that has an established meaning in a culture or language that doesn't necessarily reflect the combination of the individual words.

Concepts used to explain how persuasion works, particularly in oral and written language.

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Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that he or she will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove her point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, he or she still has to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and she already knows everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality she or he expects.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Summary of Reassignment

This summary of reassignment covers the following topics:

• Learning About Reassignment
• Definition of Reassignment
• The Agency's Right to Reassign
• Reassignment Without Regard to RIF Retention Standing
• Separation After Declining Geographic Reassignment
• Qualifications and Reassignment
• Relocation Expense Allowances
• Additional Information from the Agency
• Additional Information from OPM

1. Learning About Reassignment

The reassignment regulations give an agency extensive flexibility in reassigning an employee to a different position.

This summary covers the procedures in the reassignment regulations. With this summary, employees, managers, union representatives, and others will have an overview of both the agency's and employees' rights in a reassignment situation.

The appropriate human resource office (HRO) in the agency can provide additional information on specific questions relating to reassignment policies, options, and entitlements.

2. Definition of Reassignment

The regulations published in section 335.102 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (5 CFR 335.102) cover reassignment of competitive service employees, while the regulations published in section 302.102(a) (5 CFR 302.102(a)) cover reassignment of excepted service employees.

Section 5 C.F.R. 210.102(b)(12) of the regulations defines reassignment as:

". . . a change of an employee, while serving continuously within the same agency, from one position to another without promotion or demotion."

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3. The Agency's Right to Reassign

An agency may reassign an employee when:

The agency has a legitimate organizational reason for the reassignment; and

The vacant position is at the same grade, or rate of pay (i.e., if the movement is between pay systems such as from a General Schedule position to a Federal Wage System position), as the employee's present position.

The agency's right to direct reassignment includes the right to reassign an employee from a special rate position to a non-special rate position at the same grade, or to a position with less promotion potential than the present position. (Reassignment to a position with more promotion potential than the present position requires competition under the agency's merit staffing plan.) The position to which the agency reassigns an employee may be located in the same or a different geographic area (e.g., reassignment from Houston to Washington, DC).

4. Reassignment Without Regard to RIF Retention Standing

An agency may reassign an employee without regard to the employee's reduction in force retention standing, including an employee's veterans' preference status. A reassignment to a vacant position at the same grade is not a reduction in force action even if the agency abolishes the employee's former position

At its option, an agency may adopt a policy to select employees for reassignment on the basis of considerations such as retention standing, total service with the agency, length of time in a position or in the organization, etc. Again at its option, an agency may canvass its employees to determine whether an individual employee would prefer reassignment to a specific location, a new organization, and/or to a position with different duties and responsibilities.

5. Separation After Declining Geographic Reassignment

The agency must use the 5 CFR part 752 adverse action regulations when separating an employee who declines a directed reassignment to a position in a different geographic area.

An employee who is removed by adverse action for declining geographic relocation is potentially eligible for most of the benefits that are available to a displaced employee separated by reduction in force (e.g., intra- and interagency hiring priority, severance pay, discontinued service retirement, etc.).

An employee who declines reassignment to a position in the same geographic area as the present position (e.g., from an Atlanta position to a different Atlanta position) is not eligible for any career transition assistance or other benefits.

6. Qualifications and Reassignment

The agency's basic right to reassign an employee is based, in part, on the agency's determination that the employee is qualified for the position to which the employee will be reassigned.

An agency may also reassign an employee to a position if the agency modifies or waives qualifications for the vacant position, consistent with OPM's requirements for these actions.

7. Relocation Expense Allowances

An employee is generally eligible for relocation expense allowances for a directed reassignment that requires relocation to a different geographic area

The General Services Administration (GSA) publishes its Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) in 41 CFR subpart F. The complete FTR and other relocation-related information are available on GSA's website at  www.gsa.gov .

8. Additional Information from the Agency

The agency's human resources office (HRO) can provide both employees and managers with additional information on OPM's reassignment regulations. The HRO can also provide information on potential benefits, such as eligibility for:

• Career transition assistance
• Separation incentives (if available)
• Rehiring selection priority
• Severance pay
• Unemployment compensation
• Relocation allowances.

9. Additional Information from OPM

OPM provides additional restructuring information on the OPM website at  www.opm.gov .

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5 Ways to Manage a Job Reassignment

Instead of laying people off, organizations are increasingly giving them new job assignments. How to manage what can be a jarring professional change.

For More Expert Insights

Associate Principal, Advisory

Senior Client Partner, North America

Career Coach, Korn Ferry Advance

Career & Leadership Coach, Senior Consultant

Career & Leadership Coach, Korn Ferry Advance

U.S. companies announced 42% fewer layoffs in July than in June, and 8% fewer cuts than in July of 2022. The underlying reason is unexpected, however: while companies are continuing to eliminate jobs, they’re often reassigning workers to new roles instead of laying them off. Experts believe this trend could continue.

“Chances are, these are the types of changes we can expect to see over time, whether it’s due to new technology, like AI, or economic trends,” says Korn Ferry Advance coach Frances Weir .

While it can be difficult for employees to suddenly step into a new role and work with a new manager and team, experts say reassignment can have an upside. It offers employees an opportunity to learn new skills and bolster their résumé. For instance, if you’re moved onto a team that is underresourced and needs help, there’s an opportunity for you to make notable contributions that could earn you recognition, says Mark Royal , a senior client partner for Korn Ferry Advisory.

Since a reassignment can potentially be advantageous, it’s worth considering what steps to take to help you adjust. Here are five ways to adapt to a job reassignment.

Manage your emotions.

Reassignments are often unexpected, so it’s important to take a step back from your emotions. It’s normal to feel surprise, anger, or a loss of control, Royal says. But making an immediate, emotional decision—like quitting immediately—could wind up being detrimental to your long-term career.

Be diplomatic with your manager and get ready for the new assignment. At the same time, do some self-reflection. “Understand why you feel this way, and know that if you choose to stay, it doesn’t have to be forever,” Weir says.

Treat it like a new job.

As with any new position, making a good impression during your first 90 days is important, says Alyson Federico, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. “No matter how familiar you already are with the team or your new manager, don’t make assumptions that you know what’s going on or what you’re supposed to do,” she says.

Remember that your relationship with these colleagues will evolve. Ask questions to understand expectations about deliverables and responsibilities, how the team communicates, and how you fit into the group, Federico says. Make sure you have a clear sense of how your new team defines success.

Determine the reassignment’s length.

“Is this an open-ended shift, or has it been presented as a short-term assignment with some expectation of other opportunities down the road?” Royal says.

Ask your manager whether there will be a probationary period. Determine how much grace you will get before you’re expected to be a full contributor. Ask if there’s an onboarding process to help you get up to speed.

Stay optimistic.

Your new role and new department might provide an opportunity to build additional skills for your résumé and provide future career options. “You might stumble into something you’re really good at that you were previously unaware of, or perhaps land on a team you really enjoy working with, or discover a new career interest,” says Tiffinee Swanson , a Korn Ferry Advance career coach.

Remind yourself that even though your old role was eliminated, your company decided to keep you. That is a strong signal that your organization values you and your work, Royal says.

Consider the role’s fit.

Even if the role seems to be a poor fit for your skills, you might consider staying if you can see a career path within the company where the fit might be better, Royal says.

Give it some time, experts say. However, if it continues to be a struggle, it’s OK to leave, especially if you have another job offer, you’re offered a severance package, or you’re burned out and don’t have energy to make a change to a reassigned role.

“The best insurance against job loss, or ending up in a position you don’t like, is consistent networking, keeping your résumé and LinkedIn profile up-to-date, and staying abreast of trends in your industry,” says Val Olson , a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. 

For more expert career advice, connect with a career coach at  Korn Ferry Advance .

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