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An opinion editorial (Op/Ed) is derived from the fact that these essays appear in the section of a newspaper reserved for Opinion pieces

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An opinion editorial (Op/Ed) is derived from the fact that these essays appear in the section of a newspaper reserved for Opinion pieces. Outsiders, that is, people not employed by the newspaper, generally write opinion pieces. These can be local experts in a subject area, a local reader (civic or political, or a syndicated columnist). Keep in mind these are the personal opinions of the writer.

APA Format- Write a highly persuasive op/ed that defends the policy with precise and relevant evidence. Write in the proper Op-Ed piece style, use non-technical language and tone that is entirely appropriate to the audience. 

Understanding of the Problem- Describe the problem clearly, accurately and completely in terms of all key points

Key Aspects:

*The need to create a policy on healthcare in response to Congressional action

*The need to write a persuasive op-ed piece to convince the public of the wisdom of the policy. 

Thesis- Describe the thesis clearly, accurately and completely in terms of all key points

*Your basic argument, which does not have to be explicitly stated, but should be clear and original. A focused thesis makes it easier for you to keep the piece within the tight guidelines usually required, gauging which supporting statements or evidence are most pertinent to your central claim. 

Evidence- Describe the evidence clearly, accurately and completely in terms of all key points

*The support you use to back up the claims of your argument, this can be drawn from: statistics (from credible sources, government reports, etc.), case studies and anecdotes, historical or international precedent, expert findings, judicial inquiries, authoritative texts (peer reviewed research, etc.), polling data, personal interviews, testimonials, eye witness reports, other credible and/or disinterested sources, personal experience, or logic.

-Writing must be completely consistent with presented scenario’s problem and thesis. The evidence must support the presented scenario. The parameters of the problem, thesis, and evidence must not be altered and/or facts “made up” to avoid grappling with key aspects of the healthcare policy. 

Tips for writing an Opinion Editorial:

These tips and pointers were provided by several national media contacts, including John Timpane, commentary page editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Andy Mollison of Cox News Service.

·       Op/ed are approximately 800 words

·       The nature of an opinion/editorial piece requires that it argue something: that something is or is not so, is or is not worthy, somebody should or should not do something. If you are not arguing any of the above, an op/ed can also predict the outcome of certain events: what will occur if a political figure does or does not take action on an issue, etc.

·       Op/ed MUST have a thesis. This sentence is what will be pitched to an editor to convince them to print your article. If it does not have a thesis, there is no main idea to pitch to the editor.

·       Try to construct a short, compelling introductory sentence. The lead-in should encapsulate the idea of the piece and instantly engage the reader. Most editors judge introductions by this rule of thumb: the piece has less than 23 seconds to interest the reader. If your first paragraph does not grab them, they will not stick around long enough to finish reading the article.

·       A good op/ed will offer proof that supports the opinion of the author. Proof introduced with statistics (with a webpage or other resource where they can be checked), expert testimony (with the journal/book and page number where they can be found), and personal experience I.e. Will Smiths YouTube Vlog on Colorectal Cancer Screening and awareness

Do not be afraid to let your personality show in your article. Remember that your piece is not just words on a page; people will read the article if they feel they are hearing from a real person they can identify with. Come up with a good last line. Come to some sort of conclusion, even if the conclusion is that the outcome of an issue will be uncertain.