Submitted by: Submitted by rjbrown22709
Views: 307
Words: 719
Pages: 3
Category: Philosophy and Psychology
Date Submitted: 04/29/2012 02:05 AM
How to Write Opinion Articles
Opinion articles (or op-eds) allow you to present your extended opinion on a specific issue or event covered in the daily news. They are usually written by leaders of local and national organizations or people with expertise in a particular issue or subject area. National papers usually publish articles written by well-known public figures, so you may want to focus on writing op-eds for local newspapers, magazines, and campus media to increase the likelihood of getting your article published. Do not get discouraged if you don't get published the first time -- keep trying! Use our Media Finder to find listings and contact information for local, state, and national newspapers. Guidelines to help you get your op-ed published: Be concise. Your piece should be clear, succinct, and to the point. State a strong argument both in the introduction and in the conclusion to keep the reader focused on the issue you are discussing. Be specific. Write about one specific policy issue at a time. Make sure to explain why your argument is relevant to a recent issue or event raised. Provide a recommendation. Your opinion should also consist of suggestions of possible solutions to the problem at hand. Use facts. Support your opinion with well-documented and well-researched facts, statistics, and examples related to the issue. Get local. When writing about global issues think about how your local community is tied to and affected by the issue you are raising. Format. Consider mixing long and short sentences to maintain the reader’s attention. At the end of your piece, mark –End- and provide a word count to present the editor with an accurate length of your piece; try not to exceed 750 words. Proofread. Make sure your piece is organized in a logical manner. Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. The terms used should be familiar to the average reader. Avoid personal attacks or clichéd language. Provide contact information. The newspaper may...