Writing a Position Paper

Can you effectively express and defend a position that focuses on a specific area?

Hopefully- Because this is what writing a position paper entails.

Sounds difficult? Probably.

However, with the right skills, it easy and rewarding.

Such an assignment could be a 5-paragraph essay or a 5-page paper.

To do the assignment, first, you have to choose what to write about.

This demands the identification of good position paper topics.

How do you go about this?

Position Papers

Before you embark on finding good position paper topics, you need to understand what the assignment entails.

Simply put, a position paper can be defined as:

An academic argument assignment that states and defends a position and demonstrates the relationship between the argument and other positions.

These relationships are evident in any good positional paper example.

Good Position Paper Topics

You can look for good position paper topics from different areas and fields.

Below are some position paper topics examples.

Technology

Technology is also another area to look for good position paper topics.

Examples may include:

1. Artificial intelligence is the most serious ethical dilemma in the 21^st century
2. Access to online content will eventually kill the creative arts industry
3. Social media is more unifying than divisive for youths
4. Artificial intelligence is a net danger to national security
5. Remote work has completely disrupted the conventional work environments
6. Internet has augmented artists’ leverage in the modern market
7. The digital divide driven by internet will further widen over the coming years
8. Social media has completely killed traditional business marketing approaches
9. Automation of retail and logistics systems will create more jobs
10. Internet and social media have resulted into a net gain for education and learning
11. Artificial intelligence is a net gain for the trade unions
12. Advancement in technology has made our homes more insecure
13. Data privacy is an illusion
14. Development in technology has improved our social interactions
15. Advancement in computing technology will worsen cybersecurity threats
16. Artificial intelligence should be incorporated into learning
17. Cryptocurrency will replace conventional currency in the next 2 decades
18. Virtual reality should be adopted in all medical courses and schools
19. The new digital space requires a new set of laws
20. The use of drones in modern warfare should be prohibited

Environment

Environment is an area to look for interesting position paper topics for college students.

Examples may include:

1. Green building regulations should be mandatory in all new projects as an environmental conservation approach
2. Marine pollution is the largest global threat to the environment
3. Current renewable energy sources cannot replace non-renewable sources
4. Developed countries should bear more financial responsibility in pollution mitigation than developing countries
5. The cheap fashion industry causes more environmental damage than driving
6. Planting more trees cannot mitigate climate change
7. Governments should put more deterrence towards food ending in landfills
8. More land should be given to the indigenous communities for conservation purposes 
9. Nuclear power is the only realistic approach towards carbon neutral society
10. Air pollution is the greatest threat to human health in urban areas
11. CSR does not solve environmental pollution problems
12. Governments should provide subsidies for organic farming and introduce taxes for non-organic farming
13. Individuals have the same level of responsibility as corporations in conservation  
14. Modern agriculture causes more environmental damage than fossil fuels
15. Sustainable transportation is the most important pillar in conservation
16. Green technology is a hoax
17. Governments should spearhead conservation of endangered species efforts
18. Biodiversity is the best approach to environmental preservation
19. There should be trade bans against countries violating environmental conservation standards
20. It should be mandatory for all new buildings to adopt green architecture

Healthcare

Healthcare is also an area to look for good position paper topics.

Such topics may include:

1. There should be no limitations on medical gene editing
2. The U.S. should have a universal healthcare plan
3. Alternative medicine should be offered as a key option for patients
4. Physicians should be legally obligated to provide all medical information to patients
5. Artificial intelligence should form the foundation for patient diagnosis
6. Parents should be held responsible for overweight and obese children
7. There should be a shift from primary care to tele-health
8. Declining insurance coverage based on non-medical reasons should be legally prohibited
9. Medical marijuana should be legal in all states
10. Vaccination against Covid 19 should be mandatory
11. There should legislation prohibiting the abuse of antibiotics
12. There should be more regulation on the use of technology to enhance patient safety
13. Government should more control on the reproductive rights of its citizens
14. Public health should be gauged solely based on social indicators
15. Adequate sleep should be incorporated as an element of health
16. Euthanasia should be encouraged in patients with terminal illnesses
17. Climate change should be factored in the development of health goals
18. Sex education should be incorporated into school curriculum
19. The government should allocate more resources to chronic diseases
20. Healthcare should shift towards personalized medicine

Education

You can as well look for good position paper topics in the area of education.

Such topics may include:

1. Governments should invest more resources into humanities colleges
2. Technology increases inequalities in access to education
3. Financial education should be part of the basic curriculum
4. Education should pivot towards personalized learning instead of group learning
5. Governments should provide free college education for all
6. Standardized testing should be abolished
7. The use of artificial intelligence should be allowed in student assessments
8. Education should start focusing more on holistic moulding instead of grades
9. More resources should be invested in diversity and inclusion in education
10. Socio-economic barriers are the main challenges to equal access in the U.S.
11. The federal government should invest more resources in rural and marginalized areas
12. Mental health should be incorporated as a core element in student learning
13. Students should be directed towards a specific career path at an early age
14. Learning a second language should be made mandatory for all U.S. students
15. More emphasis and resources should be allocated to community colleges than universities
16. Libraries remain the main custodian of learning
17. International students’ programs have made access to education more difficult
18. The U.S. education financing model hampers academic pursuits of the general population
19. Teaching should pivot more towards online learning
20. Schools will never be safe without larger gun safety rules in the U.S.

Governance and Policy

This is also an area to look for good position paper topics.

Such topics may include:

1. The U.S electoral college should be abolished
2. There should be a stronger policy against immigration
3. Voter registration should be automatic once one attains the voting age
4. International laws should include an environmental conservation element
5. Mail-in ballots voting system should be abolished
6. The U.S. should regularly and strongly apply the ‘right of intervention’ law
7. Tax cuts for U.S. corporations should be abolished
8. Qualified immunity for police in the U.S. should be abolished
9. Minimum wage should be passed into federal law in the U.S.
10. Severe sanctions should be imposed on governments that fail to combat terrorism originating from their jurisdictions
11. There should be term limits for all elected officials
12. Sovereignty should supersede the need for intervention
13. Lobbying by interest groups should be considered election interference and therefore abolished
14. There should be a code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court justices
15. Peacekeeping missions should be spearheaded by the host governments
16. There should be a federal ban of purchase of assault riffles
17. More focus should be given to domestic terrorism than external threats
18. Governments should not regulate speech on social media platforms
19. Citizens should have more power to recall representatives that violate their will
20. Criminally charged politicians should not be able to run for office

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