By: Lauren Beth Kelly
An op-ed is an article in a newspaper or magazine that expresses an author’s opinion about an issue to a targeted audience. It should include a clear topic and theme and be impactful. Most editors ultimately want to publish op-eds which promote community discussion and debate.
Before you begin drafting your op-ed, consider the type of audience of the publication to which you are submitting. For example, do you hope to get published by a local or regional newspaper? A college magazine?
In op-eds, an active voice and conversational tone are commonly used. To develop your necessary strong personal voice, practice reading your op-ed out loud. In addition to the author’s voice, op-eds should also include solid research. Direct quotations are especially useful.
Before submitting your op-ed for publication, be sure to revise and check for simplicity. An effective op-ed contains limited technical jargon while avoiding excessive rebuttals. Paragraphs should be limited to about 3 short sentences. Op-ed pieces tend to include around 750 words.
When composing an op-ed, you can use a classic type of structure or something similar. In general, an op-ed piece is formatted as follows:
In the first line of your op-ed, the use of a “hook” can both grab the reader’s attention and lay the groundwork for your argument. Present your topic clearly and persuasively in your first paragraph. Try to accomplish this in 1-2 sentences.
In the first 2-3 paragraphs, explain your main point(s). Try to include no more than three major points.
In the next 4-5 paragraphs, describe the issue in question. In an op-ed you hope to publish, you need to be persuasive and convince your audience of the importance of your issue. Try to provide detailed examples. Those from personal experience can enhance your connection with the audience.
Then, in the next 4-5 paragraphs, present your solution. Be sure to offer specific recommendations.
Next, offer the opposing viewpoints about your arguments using 1-2 paragraphs. Again, here be sure to limit excessive criticism of other commentaries. However, it is still important to present some essential opposing viewpoints about your argument, as this will influence your credibility.
In the final paragraph, summarize your main points, and explain how you want your audience to ultimately proceed. Since the final paragraph of your piece is the last detail to be read, it, too, should be strong and memorable.
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