writingthe

by D r. Ma r i a Cec i
e
l i a M . G
ditorial
e n o v e
partsofanopinionpage
arts of an Opinion Page
1. Editorial

2. Editorial Cartoon

3. Opinion Column

4. Letters to the Editor

5. Condensation Pieces

6. Expositional Articles
Editorial
- is the newspaper’s means of
advising the reader of the
significance of events. It helps the
reader to sift or segregate, digest,
and evaluate. Usually growing out of
news events, it goes on to INFORM,
INTERPRET, CONVINCE,
PERSUADE, and INFLUENCE the
reader.
Editorial

The editorial writer should

express GROUP OPINION rather
than individual opinion. The staff, or
smaller editorial board, must come to
a common understanding as to what
it favors or opposes. This explains
why the editorial is UNSIGNED. It
is understood to be the opinion of the
staff and not of the individual.
sourcesofeditorialtopics
Sources of editorial topics

1. News

2. Research

3. Special occasions
partsoftheeditorial
Parts of the editorial

1. LEAD introduces the topic

2. BODY builds the editorial

through a logical sequence

3. CONCLUSION or ENDING
either summarizes or drives
home the point
writingtheeditorial
Writing the editorial

1. Be brief (rarely more than 300

words); however, you may use
longer sentences and paragraphs
than in the news story.

2.  Write simply and directly. You

may use more formal language and
a wider vocabulary than in news
writing.
Writing the editorial
3.  Be impersonal. Use the third
person or the impersonal “we.”
Never use “I” except in direct
quotations.

4.  Be sincere rather than “smart.”

5.  Write clearly.
Writing the editorial
6.  Write vigorously.

7. Present facts, rather than mere

opinion.

8. Be authoritative, but do not

preach.
Writing the editorial
9. Use various devices to catch and
keep the reader’s interest, such as:
a. A striking title
b. A good introduction or lead
c. Illustration in the form of a brief
narrative
d. Authority to support facts or
arguments
e. Analogy
f. Comparison and contrast
Writing the editorial

10.End the editorial appropriately.

11.Relate the editorial to the lives of

your readers.

12.Use catchy but not flippant titles.

editorial leads
Editorial leads
1. A simple statement of the
situation, problem, or news event

2. A vital question, thus challenging

attention

3. A striking statement, thus

arousing reader interest

4. A narration
Editorial leads
5. News Peg Lead
– news + opinion

6. Inverted Lead
– opinion + news

7. Generalization Lead
– written in a featurized manner
editorial endings
Editorial Endings
1. Summary

2. Paradoxical

3. Appeal for Action

editorial titles
Editorial Titles
1. Striking Phrase

2. Question

3. Quotation

4. Descriptive Phrase

5. Alliterative

6. Figurative
classificationsofeditorials
Classifications of Editorials
1. Party Editorial

2. Civic Editorial

3. Policy Editorial

4. Big News Editorial

5. Miscellaneous Editorial
checkingtheeditorial
Checking the editorial
If you can answer “yes” to all the questions,
you may be sure that you have an effective
editorial. Your “no” answers will suggest
points that need improvement.
 
1.Are the form and the style
appropriate to the content and
purpose?

2.Does it have a purpose and does it

seem to accomplish that purpose?
Checking the editorial
3. Does it make the reader think?

4. Does it reflect the writer’s

originality?

5. Is the writing clear, vigorous, direct

and simple?
Checking the editorial
6. Is the writing exact, not vague?

7. Does the editorial reflect clear

logical thinking?

8. Does it give evidence of accurate

knowledge?

9. Does it sound sincere?

Checking the editorial
10.Does the opening sentence get the
reader involved?

11.Are the paragraphs comparatively

short?

12.Is the editorial brief and pointed?

Checking the editorial
13.Is the subject matter of significance
to students?

14.Does the editorial make its point

without preaching?
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