CHARACTERISTICS OF EDITORIAL WRITING

An editorial is an article that presents the newspaper's opinion on an issue. It reflects the majority vote of the
editorial board, the governing body of the newspaper made up of editors and business managers. It is usually
unsigned. Much in the same manner of a lawyer, editorial writers build on an argument and try to persuade
readers to think the same way they do. Editorials are meant to influence public opinion, promote critical
thinking, and sometimes cause people to take action on an issue. In essence, an editorial is an opinionated news
story.

Editorials have:

1. Introduction, body and conclusion like other news stories

2. An objective explanation of the issue, especially complex issues
3. A timely news angle
4. Opinions from the opposing viewpoint that refute directly the same issues the writer addresses
5. The opinions of the writer delivered in a professional manner. Good editorials engage issues, not
personalities and refrain from name-calling or other petty tactics of persuasion.
6. Alternative solutions to the problem or issue being criticized. Anyone can gripe about a problem, but a good
editorial should take a pro-active approach to making the situation better by using constructive criticism and
giving solutions.
7. A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes the writer's opinion. Give it some punch.

Four Types of Editorials Will:

1. Explain or interpret: Editors often use these editorials to explain the way the newspaper covered a sensitive
or controversial subject. School newspapers may explain new school rules or a particular student-body effort
like a food drive.
2. Criticize: These editorials constructively criticize actions, decisions or situations while providing solutions to
the problem identified. Immediate purpose is to get readers to see the problem, not the solution.
3. Persuade: Editorials of persuasion aim to immediately see the solution, not the problem. From the first
paragraph, readers will be encouraged to take a specific, positive action. Political endorsements are good
examples of editorials of persuasion.
4. Praise: These editorials commend people and organizations for something done well. They are not as
common as the other three.

Writing an Editorial

1. Pick a significant topic that has a current news angle and would interest readers.
2. Collect information and facts; include objective reporting; do research
3. State your opinion briefly in the fashion of a thesis statement
4. Explain the issue objectively as a reporter would and tell why this situation is important
5. Give opposing viewpoint first with its quotations and facts
6. Refute (reject) the other side and develop your case using facts, details, figures, quotations. Pick apart the
other side's logic.
7. Concede a point of the opposition — they must have some good points you can acknowledge that would
make you look rational.
8. Repeat key phrases to reinforce an idea into the reader's minds.
9. Give a realistic solution(s) to the problem that goes beyond common knowledge. Encourage critical thinking
and pro-active reaction.
10. Wrap it up in a concluding punch that restates your opening remark (thesis statement).
11. Keep it to 500 words; make every work count; never use "I"

A Sample Structure

I. Lead with an Objective Explanation of the Issue/Controversy.

Include the five W's and the H. (Members of Congress, in effort to reduce the budget, are looking to cut funding
from public television. Hearings were held …)

 Pull in facts and quotations from the sources which are relevant.
 Additional research may be necessary.
II. Present Your Opposition First.

As the writer you disagree with these viewpoints. Identify the people (specifically who oppose you.
(Republicans feel that these cuts are necessary; other cable stations can pick them; only the rich watch public
television.)

 Use facts and quotations to state objectively their opinions.

 Give a strong position of the opposition. You gain nothing in refuting a weak position.

III. Directly Refute The Opposition's Beliefs.

You can begin your article with transition. (Republicans believe public televison is a "sandbox for the rich."
However, statistics show most people who watch public television make less than $40,000 per year.)

 Pull in other facts and quotations from people who support your position.
 Concede a valid point of the opposition which will make you appear rational, one who has considered all
the options (fiscal times are tough, and we can cut some of the funding for the arts; however, …).

IV. Give Other, Original Reasons/Analogies

In defense of your position, give reasons from strong to strongest order. (Taking money away from public
television is robbing children of their education …)

 Use a literary or cultural allusion that lends to your credibility and perceived intelligence (We should
render unto Caesar that which belongs to him …)

V. Conclude With Some Punch.

Give solutions to the problem or challenge the reader to be informed. (Congress should look to where real
wastes exist — perhaps in defense and entitlements — to find ways to save money. Digging into public
television's pocket hurts us all.)

 A quotation can be effective, especially if from a respected source

 A rhetorical question can be an effective concluder as well (If the government doesn't defend the
interests of children, who will?)
Go to the library or any computer lab and complete the “webquest” located at
News

The Headline:

The headline functions to grab the reader’s attention while successfully summarising the main point of the
article.

Key features of the headline:

 It needs to be short and snappy, which can sometimes mean missing out non-essential words such
as ‘the’, ‘a’, or ‘to’.

 Headlines also need to be eye-catching, which can be achieved by using humour, alliteration, or a
pun.

 Write in the present tense even if the event has already happened. This will help to simplify your
language choices.

 It should be written in the third person.

The Byline:

The byline is the easiest part of the entire article as it does not require much creativity. It functions to tell the
reader who the article is by, what their job role is, and how to find more of their content.

The byline structure:

 Start your byline by inserting your full name after the word ‘by’.

 Add your speciality, so you may be a sports reporter, education reporter, or a food writer, for
example.

 Then detail how the reader can find more of your opinions or your work, so add in a made-up
social media name, such as @JoeBloggs.

An example byline:

 By Joe Bloggs

 Sports Reporter

 Social Media: @Joe.Bloggs

The Lead:

The lead could be seen as the most essential part of the newspaper structure. It should be one paragraph long,
and by reading it, your audience should be able to understand exactly what your article is about and what you
are reporting on.

Key features of the lead paragraph:

 It needs to be short and snappy so that the message is portrayed clearly. You can achieve this by
communicating your message in as little words as possible- just make sure it makes sense.

 The lead paragraph should explain clearly what has happened, so that if your reader stopped
reading after the lead, they would understand the main message of your report.

 Stick to using the past tense.

 It should be written in the third person.

The Five Ws (and H)

Another way to make sure that your reader gets the key messages on your report is to stick to the Five Ws in
your lead paragraph. These include...

 Who: which people were mainly affected by the events you are reporting on?

 What: what are the key events that happened?

 Where: where did those events take place?

 Why: is there a specific reason why these events occurred?

 When: what was the time, day, month, and year (if necessary) that the events happened?

 How: this isn’t strictly a word starting with the letter ‘w’, but it is useful for your lead paragraph.
Explain the manner in which the events occurred, or what made them able to happen.

The Body:

This is the main section of your newspaper article, so it will include lots of important information about what
happened, along with more detail about what you said in your lead section. The body should be around 3-4
paragraphs long, depending on how much your teacher has instructed you to write.

Key features of the body:

 This is the chance for you to go into as much detail as possible about what happened.

 The most important information about the events should go first.

 Each paragraph should be on a slightly different aspect of what happened.

 It should be written in the third person.

 Explain the background information that is relevant to the story.

 Include evidence, facts, and quotes from people related to the event.

 You could also include a quote from an expert on the topic you are reporting on.

The Tail:

The tail includes the least important information from your report and functions to sum-up the events.

Key features of the tail:

 Add any extra or surrounding information about the event or related topics.

 Include links for where to find extra information about the topic or other news reports.

 You could also feature a quote from an expert or witness to sum up the story or imply what may
unfold next.
Collaborative Writing: Learn These 10 Helpful Tips
Collaborative writing are group projects that often give a better final product than if individual writers
are authoring works independently.

The collaborative writing process allows groups of writers or a writer and an editor to work together
to author a finished work. This is a powerful tool in nonfiction writing where there is not a storyline to
follow because all group members contribute to brainstorming and writing. Yet it does take some skill
to collaborate efficiently and effectively.

This guide will help writers learn how to use group work to create better writing. By embracing the
power of the team, a collaborative writing project can be a great success.

Contents
Tips to Make Collaborative Writing Successful

Before delving into a collaborative writing project and working as a co-author on an informative piece, you will
want to learn a little more about how this works. Writing with a team is much different from writing as a single
author. For a successful group writing project, consider these tips:

1. Use the Right Software

The tools you use to collaborate will impact the success of your project. Thankfully, you have many
software options to choose from that allow you to collaborate. Some include:

 Google Docs: With Google Docs, you can all work on the document in real-time, or simply upload your
pieces to the shared document.
 Microsoft Word: Word 365 now offers real-time editing options that allow group work to happen on a
document using a URL.
 Dropbox: Dropbox makes it easy to send files to other people in your team for collaboration.
 Wiki Software: Wiki software, like the program used to create Wikipedia, allows multiple writers to
contribute to a document.Slab is an example of a wiki you can use within an organization to collaborate
with other team members.
2. Brainstorm Together

During this brainstorming process, listen to your fellow collaborators to hear their ideas

If possible, meet with your team at the start of the writing process for a brainstorming session. In this
pre-writing stage, you will plan your thesis statement and the main focus of your writing project. You
will begin sharing ideas about the direction of your final product.

During this brainstorming process, listen to your fellow collaborators to hear their ideas. The most
successful writing project will take from all participants to craft a well-rounded argument and defense.

As you brainstorm, you may find that others in your group have very different ideas about the
direction of the writing project. This is where critical thinking can help. Take time to listen to each
other’s ideas and perform some basic research to find common ground so you can move forward.

3. Assign Roles and Writing Tasks

At this initial session, assign your roles. Decide who will research which portions of the argument, who
will write which portions of the project and who will serve as the proofreader or editor.
When assigning roles and writing tasks, consider the strengths and weaknesses of each member of
the project. Try to assign tasks that fit those roles. This will make your final piece stronger. 

Make sure the roles and writing tasks are something each member can accomplish within the time
frame. Do not put the deadline at risk by giving one writer too many responsibilities.  

4. Choose How Writing Takes Place

In a collaborative writing project, you can either meet as a group to do the actual writing or assign
portions of the writing and work independently on those portions. In the second model, you come
together with your individual work, or add it to the collaborative document, and proofread the work
as a whole at the end.

Both models have merit. If you choose to write independently, you will need to carefully outline your
points during your brainstorming session. If you choose to write collectively, you will need to work to
protect the time when you meet to write to ensure it is used productively.

5. Set and Keep Deadlines for Drafts

One of the potential drawbacks of collaborative writing is that you are relying on co-authors to get
your project done on time. To avoid lateness, set and keep deadlines throughout the writing process.

For example, you may set a deadline for the initial draft of each author’s portion of the project. Then
you may set a deadline for putting it all together and proofreading it. You can also set deadlines for
finished first drafts and final drafts, and these should all be before your final project deadline.

6. Be Willing to Listen to Others

Successful collaborative writing happens because of teamwork, but this means you must be willing to
listen to others. If someone has a different idea than you about a particular topic or argument, be
willing to hear them out. By bringing all of your ideas together you will have a stronger finished piece.

7. Tackle Revising as a Group

When writing together, revising is just as important as the writing process. You need to include all
team members in revisions to ensure that no one has their idea left out.

Consider setting up an in-person or real-time session when you can revise and edit the piece
together. This will help you come to agreements more quickly on the project, so you can finish your
work.

8. Use Editing to Adjust for Different Writing Styles

When you work on a collaborative writing project, your final project is going to have multiple writing
styles represented. In the editing stage, try to pull those styles together into a more cohesive
document that flows well. Keep the ideas from each author, but adjust the style so it reads smoothly.
Collaboration with Editors

Collaboration doesn’t just happen with group writing activities. It also happens when an individual
writer works with an editor. If you can view your editor as a part of your writing team, you will be able
to create a finished writing work that you are proud to publish.

Editors and writers can use group writing software to edit and change documents quickly. By taking a
collaborative approach to the editing process, you can learn from the insight of your editor and make
changes quickly to a document to get it ready for publication.

The Final Word on Collaborative Writing

Collaborative writing exercises can teach you about your own strengths and weaknesses as a writer.
They allow you to learn from other writers, hone your critical thinking skills and improve your overall
communication. With the right strategies, you can use this process effectively to create a great
finished product.
SPORTS WRITING STRUCTURE

Writing about a game or a sporting event is essentially the same as writing a straight news story.
Like straight news, sports stories are written in the inverted pyramid style (discussed in the
previous chapter). The main difference between sports and news writing is in the lead. A sports
lead usually emphasizes the who and how of an event, while a straight news lead usually
emphasizes the who and what.

Like a news story, the lead is normally a onesentence summary of the essential Ws and H, the
bridge links the lead to the body, and the body is written to present facts in descending order of
importance. We will now examine the lead, bridge and body of sports stories in more detail.

Lead

Sports leads normally use the who and how as the lead emphasis. Leads should include the who,
what, when, where and how. The who may be the teams involved or the names of key players. The
what will normally be the name of the sport, league or tournament. The when should be the date or
day of the event, and the where should be the location of the event. The how is usually a brief
description of how the game or contest was won and the score.

SUMMARY LEAD. - In a summary lead, the who and how will be the lead emphasis. The final
score should be in the lead and not repeated elsewhere in the story. Many beginning writers, in an
attempt to summarize the game, repeat the score in the body. This is wrong. If the reader forgets the
score, he can easily refer to the lead.

Consider the following example:

Alvin Gecko's second-half scoring binge led the Pensacola Goshawks to a come-from-behind 94-93
victory over the Saufley Mole Chickens in Wednesday night's basketball opener at Tallship Field
House.

In this example, the lead emphasis is Alvin Gecko (who) and his scoring binge (how). This is a
classic who and how summary lead, highlighting the key player and how the game was won. This
is the tried-and-true sports lead, and the type all sportswriters should master.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION LEAD. - The background information lead is another type of

lead you should know about. It is a lead many sportswriters now use, especially when writing about
games that have been broadcast over radio or television. Since readers are likely to know in
advance the final score, who won and how the game was won, many sportswriters write leads that
emphasize background information or locker room quotes to attract the reader.

The following is an example:

If Myra Naviete's sprained ankle slowed her down Saturday night, you couldn't prove it to the
Naval Station Miami Pirates.

The speedy forward, who was sidelined three games because of an injury, scored 23 points to lead
the Naval Security Group Hialeah Seminoles to a 56-37 victory over the Pirates in women's
basketball action at Milander Gym.

Or:

Ugly.

That's the word coach Thomas Katt used to. describe his Century Dolphins' 88-79 basketball
victory over Rainbow Central here Friday night.
(Bridge) "We stunk up the gym," Katt said. "I hate to say it," he added, "but the better team lost
tonight."

Note that these leads emphasize background information and are not one-sentence summary leads.
They still include the essential Ws and H, however. Some newer journalism textbooks advise
sportswriters to write this type of lead and to stay away from the simple summary lead You may
wish to follow this advice as you develop your sportswriting skills, but first you should master the
bread-and-butter summary lead.

Bridge

Bridges in sports stories serve the same purpose as news story bridges, primarily to link the lead to
the body. Like news story bridges, they are often categorized by the purposes they serve, easily
remembered with the acronym WAITS: W - Ws or H not answered in the lead are answered in the
bridge.

A - Attributes information found in the lead.

I - Identifies persons or groups impersonally identified in the lead.

T - Ties the story back to a previous story. S - Secondary facts are brought out in the bridge.

Very often, sports bridges are used to bring out secondary facts that explain the significance of the
game. The bridge might, for example, explain that a loss drops the team into the losers' bracket in a
tournament, that a victory ties the team for the league lead, that a loss marks the fourth in a row for
the team, or any other important consequence.

Consider the example that follows:

The shutout is the first suffered by the Fightin' Giant Lampreys since losing 24-0 to the
USS Greystone in the second game of the 1992 season - 39 games ago.

Or:

The victory extends USS Saufley's winning streak to eight and extends its lead to four games over
the second-place Naval Hospital in the Blue and Gold Division.

Body

Many beginning sportswriters incorrectly write the bodies of their sports stories chronologically.
However, if the key play took place in the fifth inning or the third quarter, that is where the body
should begin. Usually, the key play will be one that breaks a tie or gives the winning team the go-
ahead margin. In baseball, it might be a four-run inning; in football, it might be a 60-yard
touchdown pass; and, in basketball, it might be two clutch free throws in the final seconds.

Sometimes, the key will be a defensive play. It might be a blocked punt or a diving catch in the
outfield that prevents three runs from scoring. Sometimes, no single play will stand out. Then it is
up to the writer to choose what to highlight. Analyzing statistics and interviewing coaches or
players after the game can help you isolate turning points in the game.

If a key play happens to be an error, do not be afraid to write about it. Athletes put themselves in
the public eye whenever they take the field, opening themselves to praise and criticism. If,
however, you are writing about youth activities or Little League game, it is appropriate to avoid
mentioning the name of the player who committed the error. In such cases, attribute the error to the
team or position.
It is not necessary to write about every inning, period or quarter of a contest. If nothing of
consequence happened during a period or over several innings, you do not have to explain that
nothing happened. Rather, you may briefly explain with an introductory phrase like, "After two
scoreless innings . .." or "Neither team could move the ball until ..." Do not bog your story down
with detailed accounts of each batter or each ball possession; focus on the key plays.

Editorial Cartoons: An Introduction

Body

What is an editorial cartoon?

 Newspaper editorial cartoons are graphic expressions of their creator’s ideas and opinions. In addition, the
editorial cartoon usually, but not always, reflects the publication’s viewpoint.
 Editorial cartoons are based on current events. That means that they are produced under restricted time
conditions in order to meet publication deadlines (often 5 or 6 per week).
 Editorial cartoons, like written editorials, have an educational purpose. They are intended to make readers think
about current political issues.
 Editorial cartoons must use a visual and verbal vocabulary that is familiar to readers.
 Editorial cartoons are part of a business, which means that editors and/or managers may have an impact on
what is published.
 Editorial cartoons are published in a mass medium, such as a newspaper, news magazine, or the Web.
 Editorial cartoons are tied to the technology that produces them, whether it is a printing press or the Internet.
For printed cartoons, their size at the time of publication and their placement (on the front page, editorial page,
or as the centerfold) affects their impact on readers. The addition of color may also change how readers respond
to them.
 Editorial cartoons differ from comic strips. Editorial cartoons appear on the newspaper’s editorial or front page,
not on the comics page. They usually employ a single-panel format and do not feature continuing characters in
the way that comic strips do.
 Editorial cartoons are sometimes referred to as political cartoons, because they often deal with political issues.
 

What tools does the editorial cartoonist use to communicate ideas and opinions with readers?
 Caricatures are drawings of public figures in which certain physical features are exaggerated. Caricatures of
Richard M. Nixon often show him as needing to shave.
 Stereotypes are formulaic images used to represent particular groups. A stereotypical cartoon mother might
have messy hair, wear an apron, and hold a screaming baby in her arms.
 Symbols are pictures that represent something else by tradition. A dove is a symbol for peace.
 Analogies are comparisons that suggest that one thing is similar to something else. The title of a popular song or
film might be used by a cartoonist to comment on a current political event.
 Humor is the power to evoke laughter or to express what is amusing, comical or absurd.
 

How can an editorial cartoon be evaluated?

 A good editorial cartoon combines a clear drawing and good writing.
 A good editorial cartoon expresses a recognizable point-of-view or opinion.
 In the best instances, the cartoon cannot be read or understood by only looking at the words or only looking at
the picture. Both the words and the pictures must be read together in order to understand the cartoonist’s
message.
 Not all editorial cartoons are meant to be funny. Some of the most effective editorial cartoons are not humorous
at all. Humor is only one tool available to editorial cartoonists.
Editorial cartoons provide a window into history by showing us what people were thinking and talking
about at a given time and place. Today’s editorial cartoons will provide the same record of our own
time.