A position paper is an essay that identifies claims and arguments surrounding an issue. You will often be asked to compose papers that do this; it is a fundamental part of conversation surrounding any number of topics and a necessary skill in academic and professional writing. Composing a position paper asks you to carefully consider all sides of an issue before choosing one. Using your reading of the articles above, you will select one and take a position on some aspect of this debate: Has remote learning contributed positively or negatively to students’ well-being and learning? Are schools taking appropriate actions to facilitate learning and overall mental well-being of students? Should schools remain closed for in-person learning, or should they re-open?

Keep in mind, in crafting your position in response to that question, you will need to lay out some background. What position or viewpoint are you responding to? You can use issues or information raised in these articles to do any of the following:

summarize the position you are responding to

provide evidence or reasoning for your own position