Opinion Writing

What is an opinion article?

An opinion story is a quite long article

that presents a writer’s (usually one of
the editors) opinion on an important
social, political, economic, or legal
issues and aims to persuade readers to
agree on a particular point of view.
Opinion Article
The opinion is a piece of writing that expresses the
personal belief of the writer about timely issues. It is
supported by facts. It regularly appears each issue under
the same title and at the same location on the page.
Opinions are regular features on the editorial page but
they also appear in the feature page, science page,
sports page and even in the front page.
What are opinion stories for?
 Influence public opinion

 Promote critical thinking

 Cause people to take action on an issue

Types of Opinion Material
Explanation – explains the way the writer discussed a sensitive or
controversial topic on its previous article.

Critique – gives constructive feedback about other people or groups’

actions, decisions, viewpoints, or situations while providing solutions.

Defense – stands up for an individual or an organization and its actions

which are under attack by the society
Types of Opinion Materials
Persuasion – contrary to the critique, this leads the readers to see the
solution and not the problem. This intends to encourage readers to
take a specific action immediately.

Praise – commends people and organizations for something done well.

Types of Opinion Materials
Advocacy – promotes a cause, a campaign, or a decision by backing it
up with strong arguments or endorsement

Prediction – explains what will potentially happen or how something

might progress or end with facts, evidence or numbers.
STEPS IN WRITING AN OPINION
ARTICLE
• Open with a grabber.
• Lay out your thesis in the first paragraph.
• Demonstrate how widely held your opinion is.
• Explain why you and many other feel the way you do.
• Cite the opinions of experts who agree with you.
• If one exists, include a celebrity angle.
• Make your opinion relate to the experience of ordinary people.
• Examine the “big picture”.
• Leave a lasting impression by offering a forward-looking prediction or
rhetorical question.
Difference b/n Editorial & Opinion
Column
• Editorial is the collective point of view of the staff of the paper on a certain
issue. In essence, it is the paper’s stand on the issue and the paper
represents everyone in its staff. Hence, no editorial is written from the first
person singular point of view: I my, mine. It may take the first person plural
point of view (we, us, ours, our), the second person and the third person
point of view.
• An editorial is the collective view of the newspaper and is generally
unsigned. A column is the opinion of a particular person and usually
reflects only his or her particular view.
• If your write an editorial, it should reflect the consensus of the editorial staff
of your newspaper. You should never use the pronoun “I” while writing. If
your write a column, then it should reflect your personal opinion and
should be known that it is written by you. In a column, you can absolutely
use “I” seeing as it is a personal viewpoint.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
WRITE WITH CONVICTION. Put forward your
opinion as something you truly believe in. Argue
your case with conviction. Come down hard on
one side of an issue. Be unequivocal. Use the
techniques of persuasion.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN

MAINTAIN YOUR FOCUS. Make your

column about one thing and one thing alone.
This is the only way to make a strong
impression on your readers and to convince
them that your point-of-view is correct.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
UNDERSTAND OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS. Be
mindful of the opposing arguments. Anticipate
objections to your point-of-view and deal with
them convincingly with sound reasoning.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
REFER TO FACTS. Arguments however logical,
will not carry much weight unless accompanied by
facts that support your position, but do not overdo
this and inundate your readers with statistics and
figures.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
USE ANALOGIES. Analogies are useful for
illustrating a point, especially when the topic you
are writing about is somewhat complicated or
technical. Using analogy from everyday life makes
issue more understandable and relevant to the
reader.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
BE CRITICAL. People like reading columnists who
dare to criticize real-life people, not just nameless
concepts and policies. Naming names might
create a bit of controversy but as long as you do
not libel anyone and don’t go overboard in your
criticism, it works well to make your column an
interesting and exciting read.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
DO REPORTING. It is possible to write columns without
doing any reporting, but the best columns typically
involve some form of reporting. When you report, you
get on the ground and you gain a better sense of what
is really happening.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
LOCALIZE & PERSONALIZE. Tie your story to
some personal experience, yours or that of
someone you know. This makes an otherwise
esoteric and distant topic more real, relevant and
memorable to the reader.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
BE PASSIONATE. Generally, people do not like to
hear a soft or passive voice when they read a
column. So be aggressive – even arrogant, to an
extent. People want to see passion. They want to
feel energized. If the issue does not seem to excite
you as the writer, it is certainly not going to excite
the reader.
TIPS IN WRITING A COLUMN
PROVIDE A SOLUTION. Do not just raise an
issue, have a conviction to offer a solution.
Columns that criticize certain policies but offer no
solutions are useless. People read columns
because they want to gain insights and answers. If
you do not provide those, you have failed as a
columnist.
SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNING
COLUMNISTS:
Do’s:
• Give the reader timely, helpful information;
• Develop a structure and keep it. Write on a regular schedule;
• Write simple and short sentences and paragraphs;
• In personal columns, use local names and places;
• Let others speak for you by using quotes and references; and
• Learn the difference between a column and a news story.
Don’ts:
• Use technical and complex words;
• Talk in jargon or unfamiliar terms;
• Include too much detail or material. You should be
stimulating interest not exhausting a subject; and
• Refer to yourself as a third person or quote yourself.
More Tips:
• Write the way you talk, but do not discard good English usage and
grammar by being friendly and informal.
• Try to uncover the opening that will catch the interest of the readers.
• Use a variety of material, not just one subject.
• Write about people. Keep heavy subject matter to a minimum. When using
subject matter, try to tell the story through the experiences of local people.
• Write simply. Avoid technical or difficult words, long sentences, long
paragraphs.
• Do not weigh your column down with too much detail. Try to stimulate
interest in a subject, but do not exhaust the subject.
• Be timely.
• Remember the people you are talking to and give them information that
will benefit them in a way they can understand.
Some More Tips
• Get a clever name for a column.
• If the column is meant to entertain, be sure that it does
entertain.
• Stay within the subject range of the column.
• If the column gives serious suggestions, be sure it is reliable.
• For variety, deal with different aspects of the main topic.
• Have items set in various typographical styles (bold, italics,
different point, caps).
• Avoid unkind references to people.
• Use active voice
• Take a stand
• Stay focused
• Use research to support your arguments
• Attack issues, not people
• Write a strong lead and a solid conclusion
1. Pick a significant topic that has a current news
angle and would interest readers

Tip for choosing the editorial issue:

IT SHOULD BE A CURRENT ISSUE

2. Collect information and facts

INCLUDE OBJECTIVE REPORTING AND

DO RESEARCH
3. State your issue briefly in the fashion of a
thesis statement

For example:

Evidence has shown that music education promotes

cognitive development, so funding music programs
at all levels of the school system should be a high
priority for state governments.
4. Explain the issue objectively and tell why the
situation is important

Offer facts and quotations using the 5 Ws and the H

5. Give opposing viewpoint first with its
quotations and facts

Identify the people, the decision, or the organization

that opposes you and state their strong opinions
objectively.
6. Refute the other side and develop your case.

 Use facts, details, figures, quotations and pick apart

the other side’s logic.

 Segue using a transitional word, phrase, or sentence

and directly contradict the opposition’s beliefs.
7. Concede a point of the opposition

They must have some good points you can

acknowledge that would make you look
rational and fair if not objective.
8. Repeat key phrases to reinforce an idea into
the reader's minds.
9. Give a realistic solution(s) to the problem.

Encourage critical thinking and pro-active reaction.

10. Wrap it up in a concluding punch that
restates your opening remark.
Campus Journalism
101
What to do and assure before
submitting your article for
approval and publication
Review your work

Here are questions you should ask yourself:

 Does your article have a comprehensible structure?

Have you presented the facts in an orderly manner?

 Are the facts complete and accurate?

 Can the your words and grammar be simplified more

or presented better?
Review your work

Here are questions you should ask yourself:

 Have you used quotes to make your story more

credible and enliven its content?

 Have you observed proper and ethical attribution?

 Have you read through it again? Can it get any

better?
Proofread for spelling and grammar lapses
Beat the deadline but don’t beat up quality.
 “I still believe that if your
aim is to change the world,
journalism is a more
immediate short-term
weapon,”
Sir Tom Stoppard – Academy
and Tony Award-winning
playwright.
CRITERIA
• Value, importance or worth of story – 40%
• Quality of reporting and quotes - 20%
• Quality of writing and editing - 20%
• Credibility and leadership - 10%
TOTAL 100%
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