What is a Position Paper?

Summary

John Bond from Riverwinds Consulting introduces position papers as influential documents presenting an opinion on an issue, used in various fields like academia and politics. These papers aim to persuade the audience through well-researched arguments, often revealing an organization's stance or encouraging academic dialogue. He invites viewers to engage with his content and services as a publishing consultant.

Takeaways

• 📄 A position paper is a document that presents an opinion or stance on an issue.
• 🏢 It is often issued by organizations or individuals to express their views.
• 🎓 Used in academia, politics, law, and governmental affairs to communicate a position.
• 🧠 It presents facts and offers an arguable opinion to convince the audience of its validity.
• 🔍 Ideas are developed through careful research, presentation, and reasoning.
• 📜 They can vary in length, from brief letters to detailed academic papers.
• 🏛️ Typically, they are used by organizations to publicize official beliefs and recommendations.
• 🤝 In academia, position papers encourage dialogue and assume a certain level of reader knowledge.
• 📘 Academic societies may use position papers to inform members of their stance on specific issues.
• 💼 John Bond is a publishing consultant who works with various entities on content-related challenges.

Q & A

What is a position paper?

A position paper is an academic paper or essay that presents an opinion or stance on an issue, typically issued by an organization or an individual author.

In which fields are position papers commonly used?

Position papers are used in academia, politics, law, governmental affairs, and other areas where opinions and stances on issues need to be presented and discussed.

What is the main purpose of a position paper?

The main purpose of a position paper is to present facts about an issue and offer a position or arguable opinion with the goal of convincing the audience that the position is valid.

How are ideas in a position paper typically developed?

Ideas in a position paper are usually carefully researched, presented, and reasoned in order to develop a strong argument.

Can a position paper be brief?

Yes, a position paper can be brief, such as a letter to the editor, but they are normally longer and more detailed in the form of an academic position paper.

What role do position papers play in organizations?

Position papers are used by large organizations to make public their official beliefs and recommendations to their members, readers, or the general public.

How do position papers function in academic societies or membership associations?

In academic societies or membership associations, position papers may be published in peer-reviewed journals to communicate the group's or profession's stance on an issue to its members.

What is the assumed level of knowledge among readers of position papers?

Position papers assume a certain level of knowledge among readers and are not meant to be a recitation of basic facts.

Who is John Bond and what is his professional role?

John Bond is a publishing consultant from Riverwinds Consulting, and he works with associations, publishers, and individuals on content-related challenges.

How can viewers engage with John Bond after watching the video?

Viewers can reach out to John Bond with their questions, hit the Like button if they enjoyed the video, subscribe to his YouTube channel, click on the playlist for more videos, and make comments below the video.

What is the intended audience for a position paper?

The intended audience for a position paper can vary, but it is generally aimed at an informed audience such as members of an organization, academic peers, or the general public interested in the issue at hand.