Tip of the Week: Write an Op-Ed
By Karen Topakian
If you like to rant, why not write an op-ed? An op-ed is not a rant per se. But it gives voice to a sound argument from your personal/professional perspective.
If you work for an agency or organization that feeds hungry people. Or for an organization that protects the environment. Or provides health services to low-income women. Then you probably have first hand knowledge, experience and opinions about governmental or corporate policies and practices that affect your work.
We would all benefit from hearing your perspective.
Your viewpoint and vantage point could open up a debate. Expand an argument. Shed new light on an issue.
If you?re a non-white woman, chances are your perspective is not being reflected in our newspapers. According to The Op Ed Project, most of the voices on the opinion pages are mostly western, white, privileged and overwhelmingly male.
Plus newspapers are hungry daily for copy to fill their opinion pages. Check out these examples of printed op-eds.
If I?ve convinced you that you have something to say, let me share a few successful suggestions for writing an op-ed. (Thanks to The Op Ed Project)
First, find a news hook, commonly known as the lede (yes, it?s spelled correctly) to make your piece topical and relevant. Here are a few lede ideas.
The anniversary of a court decision - 34 years ago today, the Supreme Court re-instated the death penalty, now our state is considering banning it. The anniversary of a death or birth of a leader ?Roger Nash Baldwin, the founder of the American Civil Liberties Union, couldn?t have predicted the civil rights issues facing this country, 30 years after his death.An upcoming national or international meeting or forum - As bluefin tuna ply the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean their ultimate fate lies in the hands of the members of CITES.Connect to popular culture - High school singers and dancers may entertain us on ?Glee? but most teenagers in public school lack access to performing and visual arts programs. Cite a study that supports your position or refutes it - If you?re worried about why your teenage son won?t discuss his problems, look to his genes. A new University of Missouri study shows?
Don?t worry about repeating items covered in other sections of the newspaper. You will be reinforcing or supporting their pieces with your own perspective.
Next step, state your argument or thesis. Either explicitly or implied.
Follow that with an argument based on evidence, i.e. statistics, news, reports from credible organizations, expert quotes, scholarship, history, first-hand experience. If you base it on the latter, you will surely express a new voice.
Follow that with one to three points backed up by evidence and a conclusion.
Your penultimate paragraph should be your ?To Be Sure? section where you acknowledge legitimate points made by your critics and any flaws in your argument. Also include any bona fide counter arguments.
Close the piece by circling back to your lede.
