POSITION PAPER PLANNING / OUTLINING

Directions: Use this sheet to plan an argumentative paper. Be as specific and as complete as possible as you can for each item. Refer to the information on the assignment sheet--and in your class notes--as you draft your outline. Feel free to rearrange these parts depending on your needs, your rhetorical situation, etc.

THE "CONTEXT" FOR YOUR ARGUMENT

THE "LARGER" TOPIC / SUBJECT:

THE SPECIFIC ISSUE / DEBATE / CONTROVERSY:

YOUR AUDIENCE:

YOUR POSITION / THESIS:

REASONS / SUPPORT / SOURCES -- FOR YOUR POSITION

Reason #1 (“pro” #1):

Support / Sources:

Reason #2 (“pro” #2):

Support / Sources:

Reason #3 (“pro” #3):

Support / Sources:

Reason #4 (“pro” #4):

Support / Sources:

OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS AND COUNTERARGUMENTS

Objection #1 (“con” #1):

Concession or Refutation / Response to Objection:

 

 

Support / Sources:

Objection #2 (“con” #2):

Concession or Refutation / Response to Objection:

 

 

Support / Sources:

Objection #3 (“con” #3):

Concession or Refutation / Response to Objection:

 

 

Support / Sources:

CONCLUSION: