EDITORIAL WRITING

WHAT IS AN EDITORIAL?

An article that states the newspaper’s stance or opinion on a particular issue. Basically, it is a persuasive essay that offers a solution to a problem.

Editorials appear on the newspaper’s editorial page, a page which includes editorials, columns, opinion articles, reviews and cartoons. Editorials should be clearly stated and not presented as news!

Where do editorial ideas come from?

The daily lives of students in the school. Their interaction with each other, with the faculty, with the administration. This interaction affects classes, extracurricular activities, and after-school activities.

Also community, state, national and international issues are of concern to the well-informed student.

Q

A

The newspaper is the voice of the school.

The editorials are the voice of the newspaper.

This voice can inform readers, stimulate thinking, mold opinion and occasionally move people to action.

Writing an editorialThe editorial needs to tell the reader something that would not be discussed in a straight news story.

However, the editorial must be researched carefully and just as thoroughly as a news story.

The newspaper’s reputation is based on the accuracy of the supporting material found in an editorial.

Writing an editorial with Eddie the Editorial

Remember that the editorial is not the opinion of the writer, but represents the opinion of the newspaper.

There is no byline on editorials.

Therefore, it would be silly to use words such as “I think” or “in my opinion” in an editorial. In reality, these words often weaken your argument anyway.

It is a much stronger statement to say “This is an injustice” than to say “I think this is wrong.” Don’t leave any doubt in your reader’s mind about the stance taken in the editorial.

EDITORIAL IDEAS

Get with a partner and brainstorm

Home

1. Kids need to pick up after themselves

2. Everyone needs to share the responsibility of cleaning the cat litter

3. Everyone needs to share house cleaning duties

4. I deserve an iPhone 5

School

5. Need more time during passing period

6. More books of high interest in library

7. Every student should get a MacBook

Community

8. Law to prohibit smoking in restaurants

9. Baseball at Middle school 10.HP needs a Main Event