HLTH 400 Capstone Project ( Position Paper) Assignment
Writing the Position Paper (Length: approximately 3 pages, not including title or reference pages)
• Individual Paper: The purpose of a Position Paper is to gain the support of your audience for your viewpoint of an issue. You will take a clear position on an issue, and uses facts and evidence to support the position you take.
• This is a position paper, not a scholarly, in-depth research paper. You are going to review literature on your topic to learn what the current issues/current perspectives are in the focus area you choose. This is the type of paper you would create in a workplace, if you were asked to investigate a practice issue/topic/or delivery method, make a recommendation, and justify your recommendation with facts. It is meant to be a document that can be used to make a decision. Your purpose is not to do an exhaustive research-focused paper.
- Choose your topic
Healthy People 2020 is the recently-updated initiative managed by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion within the Department of Health and Human Services. Their goal is to improve the nation’s health through use of science-based national objectives and health improvement priorities (Healthy People- https://www.healthypeople.gov/ ) From the list of Health People 2020 Topics and Objectives (found at: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives , choose a topic in which you have a strong interest or opinion. Click on the topic links to read more about the subject and help you make your decision. Post your topic choices to the Topic folder on the Discussion Board.
For example: The topic you chooses is Healthcare-Associated Infections. - Begin your Literature Review
Find literature sources to read about your topic. Because this course has an interprofessional focus, the sources you chooses should come from a minimum of one professions/disciplines. Literature can be chosen from a wide variety of professions, including but not limited to:
Physical Therapy Dentistry Respiratory Care Nursing
Medicine Nutrition Radiological Science Pharmacology
Occupational Health Social Work Public Health Environmental Health
Sources can be government publications, professional association publications, academic journals, organizational handbooks and reports, and newspapers or popular magazines for current issues.
Types of evidence include the following:
• Factual Knowledge – Information that is verifiable and agreed upon by almost everyone.
• Statistical Inferences – Interpretation and examples of an accumulation of facts.
• Informed Opinion – Opinion developed through research and/or expertise of the claim.
• Personal Testimony – Personal experience related by a knowledgeable party.
- Pick one specific aspect of the topic on which to focus.
For example, after reading about Healthcare-Associated Infections and discussing what aspect of the topic is most meaningful to you, you choose to focus on unsafe provider behaviors. The topic focus is chosen is a result of using information discovered in their Literature Reviews - Develop a thesis statement.
This statement is your claim – what you want your reader to believe. It is what you believe is the correct position on this issue. For example, if you chose Healthcare-Associated Infections as the topic focus. After reviewing the Literature Review information, the following thesis statement was able to be made: The practice of carrying equipment between patient rooms, such as stethoscopes, pens and tape rolls, spreads infection and must be discontinued in healthcare facilities. Once you have chosen your thesis statement, do a quick review of your Literature Review articles. Record any positions taken that are in opposition to your thesis. For example, you may read articles that state there is no study that has shown this type of equipment to be an infection risk, and it would be expensive to stock individual patient rooms with type of equipment. You counter the arguments by stating there is sufficient evidence from other instances of contaminated equipment spreading infection to support your position, and also state that the potential financial penalties for healthcare-associated infections are significant enough to warrant investigating a change in practice standards. - Write your proposal.
See Syllabus for proposal requirements and content
Position Paper Format (Adapted from http://wiu.libguides.com/content.php?pid=16145&sid=108851)
Introduction
This is the place to capture your readers’ attention. Use what is called a “hook” in your first line – a statistic, a story, a surprising or shocking fact, or something else that engages the audience and makes them want to read further. In this section, provide history and background information on the topic focus. Your purpose is to explain why this issue is important to address. Then state your thesis, which is your position on the issue.
• Introduce the topic
• Provide history or background on the topic
• Describe your view of the issue (thesis)
Supporting Position
Choose one significant point from your Literature Review to support your position.
• Give your opinion about the point
• Provide evidence, research, testimony, other detail that support your opinion
Opposing Arguments
Now that you have stated your position and supported it with evidence, you need to assure to the readers that you have chosen your position knowing an opposing position. Refer to your Literature Review to complete this section. This is where you list a possible objection to your position, acknowledge any pertinent points, and explain why you believe your position is still the best one.
• Briefly describe one counter argument
• List some facts or details that support the counter claim
• Refute the opposing view using facts or details that support your side
Conclusion
Summarize your argument point.
Suggest possible solutions
Restate your thesis to close your paper with a strong argument for your position.
Appendix- Individual Contribution Page
Provide your name
Reference page