Editorial

Writing

Editorial
Anarticlethatstatesthenewspapers
stanceonaparticularissue.Basically,itis
apersuasiveessaythatoffersasolutionto
aproblem.

In t r o :
P r esen t th e
p r o b lem o r
situ a tio n .

Reason #1 for position

Reason #2 for position

Reason #3 for position

Present
a logical
solution.

Recap
thestaff
stance.

E v id e n c e f o r a ll 3 p o in t s.

O p p o sin g v ie w p o in ts a r e r e b u tte d .

T a k e a sta n d !

Our SITUATION
LeaguetownHighSchool,locatedinWestTexas,has700
studentsenrolledingrades912.EveryyearinMay,theschoolhostsan
awardsceremonyduringthedaytohonorparticularstudents.Usually
about200to250studentsearnhonorseveryyear.Theceremonytakes
aboutanhourandahalfandtheentireschoolattends.Lastyear,several
studentshadtobeescortedoutofthegymfordisruptivebehavior.This
year,PrincipalFlorJimenezproposedmovingtheawardsceremonyto
theeveningsomoreparentsandcommunitymemberscanattend.Onlya
handfulofparentsattendedtheassemblylastyear.
Severalteacherscomplainedthatmovingtheceremonytothe
eveningisnotfairtothembecausetheydonotreceiveextrapayfor
workingextrahours.TheParentTeacherAssociationpresidentLinda
Fowlersaidshesupportsthemovebecauseitwillallowparentstosee
theirchildrenreceivetheirawards.
PrincipalJimenezsaidshewillspeakwithparents,teachersand
studentsbeforemakingherfinaldecision.Youarewritingforthenext
issueofthePresswhichwillbedistributedTuesday,March9.

The HEAD of our Editorial

Forexample:
Asaresultoflastyears
disruptivebehaviorandatthe
requestofseveralparents,
PrincipalFlorJimenez
proposedmovingtheendof
theyearawardsceremonyto
theevening.

Intro:
Present the
problem or
situation.

The NECK of our Editorial

Forexample:
Theeveningistheperfect
timefortheawards
ceremony.

T a k e a sta n d !
What is your opinion???

The BODY of our

Givethreereasonswhyyou
Reason #1 for position
Editorial
aretakingyourstand.
1) Nolossofclasstimefor
anawardsceremony.
2) Onlyinterestedstudents
wouldattend.The
disruptiveoneswould
stayhome.
3) Moreparentsand
communitymembers
couldattendanevening
ceremony.

Reason #2 for position

Reason #3 for position

An ARM of our
Editorial

Supportyourargumentswithevidenceand
examples.YourEnglishteacherscallthis
elaboration.
Onlyasmallportionofthestudentbody
winawards,butallstudentsattendthe
ceremony.Iftheceremonywasinthe
evening,nostudentswouldlosevaluable
classtimetositandwatchothersreceive
recognition.Thattimecouldbeusedfor
preparingstudentsforsemesterexamsand
endofcourseexams.

e other ARM of our

editorial
Opposingviewpointsarerebutted.You
shutdowntheopposition.
Opponentsofthemovesaytheaudiencewould
betoosmall,butasmallaudienceiseasierto
controlandmoreintimateforthestudents.A
smalleraudiencealsomeanstheceremonycouldbe
heldintheacousticfriendlyauditoriuminsteadof
thegym.

The LEGs
Recap Present
of our
the
staff
a
logical
Ifyouaregoingtocomplain
editorial
aboutsomething,youmust
haveabetterwayofdoingit.

Thisproposalisagood
one.PrincipalJimenezis
lookingforfeedback.Students
andfacultyshouldtellherthey
supportthischangetomake
thisyearsceremonybetter
thanever.

stance.

solution.

What went wrong?

Youdidnttakeastand.(Thereareboth
positivesandnegativestothisnewproposal.)

Theargumentwastriteandgeneralized.Be
specifictothesituation.(Awardceremoniesare
outdatedandshouldbeabolished.)

Youaskedtoomanyrhetoricalquestions
withoutstatinganopinion.(Whywouldanyone
wanttochangethis?Whycantstudentsbehave?Why
shouldstudentsattend?)

Youusedquotes.One(maybe)quoteis
enoughforaneditorial.Youdontneedany.

What went wrong?

Thewordingwaspompousorpretentious.

(Scholarlylearnersareworthyofacknowledgementfortoilingon
theirdiurnalcoursework.)

Youturnedintoapreacher.(Disruptivestudentsmust

attendawardsceremoniestolearnhowtobecomebetterpeople.)

Yougotofftopic.(Receivinganawardcanchangea
studentslife.Itchangedmine.)

Yourargumentlackedcredibility.(Theawards

ceremonyshouldbeheldinthemorningbecausedisruptive
studentsdontcometoschoolearly.)

Youusedstereotypesormadepersonalattacks.
(PrincipalJimenezisstupidforsuggestingthischange.)

What went wrong?

Asaresultoflastyearsdisruptivebehaviorandatthe
requestofseveralparents,PrincipalFlorJimenezproposed
movingtheendoftheyearawardsceremonytotheevening.
Whilethisplanhasitsdrawbacks,itsnotallbad.
Forinstance,havingaceremonyatnightwouldallow
moreparentsandcommunitymemberstoattend.Notall
parentscantakeoffworkinthemiddleofthedaytoseetheir
studentreceiveanaward.
Ontheotherhand,iftheceremonyisheldatnight,not
allstudentswillattend.Thisceremonycouldmotivatenon
awardwinningstudentstodobetterinclasses.Iftheyarenot
there,howcantheybemotivated?

What went wrong?

Asaresultoflastyearsdisruptivebehaviorandatthe
requestofseveralparents,PrincipalFlorJimenezproposed
movingtheendoftheyearawardsceremonytotheevening.
Thisisagoodideaforthestudentsandtheparents.
Aneveningawardceremonycouldbemoreformalfor
parentsandstudents.Studentscouldusethisopportunityto
weartheirpromdressesandnicesuits.Onlywearingaprom
dressonceduringhighschoolseemslikeawasteofmoneyand
quitesilly.ParentsalsocouldweartheirSundaybestso
everyonewouldlookspectacularattheceremony.

What went wrong?

Startingatthedawnofthenewyear,youngscholars
whoexcelintheirlearningenvironmenthavebeenpraisedby
theireducationalistsataceremonialfestivity.
Atpresent,PrincipalFlorJimenezhasputfortha
blueprinttodisposeoftheschooldayannualritual.Shewould
liketotransportthispassagetodusk.
Thisplanisatrocious.Itwillaffectaplethoraofyoung
scholarsinadetrimentalmanner.

Remember the
key to a
successful
Think.Originalthought.
Editorial

Providestrongevidenceto
supportyourstance
Writeinthirdperson(some
firstpersonplural)

Remember the
key to a
successful

Useactivevoice
Editorial

Bemature,fairandreasonable
Offerasolution

On contest day
Readtheentireprompt
Decideonastance
Usingtheprompt,writethree
supportivestatements
Highlightelaborationforyour
statementsintheprompt
Write

Time to
Dividetheroomintwo.
work!!
Onesideisfor.Oneside
isagainst.
Withyourgroup,readtheprompt
andwriteasentencestatingyour
stance.
Writethreestatementssupporting
yourstance.