Information + Opinion= Editorials

Types of editorials: Explain: detail what happened (like a news article) but with some opinion added Evaluate: judge what happened Persuade: convince readers to think how you do Call for action: convince readers to do something proactive Provoke discussion: encourage people to debate the issue

Choosing a topic What is important to readers? What is current? What is possible? (can you interview the proper sources involved?)

First step: RESEARCH Do not share ignorance Before you can make a logical opinion, you must know the facts Use primary sources (statistics from online reliable sources, books, school documents, etc.) Interview people who are involved

Structure of the article Lead: the first sentence of the article; stands alone as its own paragraph Because this isn’t a news article, you may not want to start with the 5Ws and 1H. Possible alternate leads: Anecdote: short story that makes a point Shocking statistic or fact Description: make the reader visualize what is happening

Structure of the article Thesis statement/position statement: One sentence statement that shows your position. Do not say “I believe…” In fact, don’t talk about yourself at all in the article! This usually appears in the 2nd paragraph of the article (remember your lead is the only thing that appears in the 1st paragraph)

Structure of the article Concession: acknowledges the other side’s strongest argument and refutes it Ex. “Certainly, an open campus lunch policy can be dangerous for some students. However…” Make this other side’s point quickly and then move on to your position with supporting details

Structure of the article Supporting details: facts to defend your position Write using short paragraphs with 1-2 supporting details in each paragraph for increased readability Place supporting details in order from weakest to strongest. You want your reader to remember your best point!

Structure of the article Conclusion: the way to wrap up your article Suggest a course of action. Don’t just complain about something! There has to be a purpose for your writing Remind your reader of your lead in some way

Final notes Good editorials usually run 250-500 words in length. Make your argument clear. Defend it with facts. Brevity is powerful!