Write the most comprehensive proposal you can to elicit equally comprehensive feedback from your instructor.
It's a rare day when a cause-effect paper deals equally with both elements. Generally, such papers concentrate on developing either the cause or the effect in greater detail. Such is the case with writing a paper on teen parenting. The cause is already known, two teens have become parents, and leaves little room for debate. The core of such a position paper, then, should focus on and amplify the effects, or the consequences, of teen parenting. Though this is only a proposal, err on the side of giving your teacher more information rather than a scant, bare-bones proposal. Write your proposal in full sentences, not words and phrases. The more information you can provide at this stage, the easier it will be for you to write your paper, and make the grade.
Instructions
1. Write at the top of the paper: "Proposal for position paper on teen parenting." Write the working title, if you have one, below this line.
2. Brainstorm ideas for your paper to show your teacher your thought and organizational process. Write the central idea in the middle of the page: two teenagers have become parents. Circle these words as if they were in a bubble: teen parenting. This is the cause. Draw a line downward, connecting this bubble to another. Leave this second bubble blank as you complete the brainstorming process.
3. Map, with arrows, your positions (the supporting ideas, or effects) that extend from the central idea (the cause). These ideas will serve as your position on teen parenting. Without any pressure, you are fermenting your proposal, so be forthright and direct. Remember that your "positions" or opinions belong to you, and you alone. Moreover, the strength of your opinions will determine the strength and viability of your position paper.
4. A confident writer is never afraid to hit the "delete" key if an idea just doesn't work within a paper.
Fortify your strongest positions with precision and details; eliminate those that seem weak or pedestrian. Such positions (the supporting ideas, or effects) might include: "Teen parents may miss more school and work time because of the responsibility of taking care of a child" and "Though they are on the cusp of adulthood, teen parents are not as emotionally mature as adults to manage the responsibilities of caring for a child." If you have any questions about these positions, write them down. As this is a proposal, your teacher will make comments and steer you in the right direction.
5. Read your positions (the supporting ideas, or effects) carefully and with an eye toward forming a thesis statement. Look for commonalities and overlapping thoughts. Is there a solution or at least a conclusion that would address all of these positions? Write a working thesis statement in that second bubble. A working thesis statement for this position paper might be: "Teen parents need an even stronger support system than older adult parents because of their life circumstances."
6. Evaluate whether the positions (the supporting ideas or effects) are supported by the thesis statement. The two components should be cohesive. Still, nothing in this position paper is etched in stone yet, so you can always tweak this statement later. For now, ensure that the thesis statement is sound and reasoned.
7. Write "Proposed conclusion" at the bottom of the proposal and write a working conclusion. Given the topic of this paper, you may wish to conclude with a recommendation, a warning or a call to action to teen parents and their families.
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Tags: position paper, thesis statement, ideas effects, positions supporting, positions supporting ideas