how to write op ed essay

• Guides & Resources

How To Write an Op-ed: A Step By Step Guide

There’s a formula that we call the “ABCs” that can be used to write compelling op-eds, columns, or blogs. The same formula can also be used to write almost any document that offers up an argument or gives advice. This is a “news flash lede,” a comment that will make sense in a  moment .

The ABC Formula

This formula for writing op-eds is based on our experience and our op-eds that appeared in the  New York Times , the  Wall Street Journal , and the  Washington Post .  I first came across a version of this formula while I was at  US News and World Report . It was called “FLUCK,” and we have tweaked it a bit since then. 

This is probably obvious, but this ABC formula is meant to guide writers rather than restrict them. In other words, these are recommendations, not a rigid set of instructions.

Better yet, think of the formula as a flexible template for making an effective argument in print—one that you personalize with your specific style, topic, and intended audience in mind.

This guide is divided into five parts.

Part I: Introduction:  In this section, we give a brief overview of the approach and discuss the importance of writing and opinion.

Part II: The ABCs:  Here we cover the important steps in writing for your audience: Attention, Billboard, and Context.

PART III: The ABCS in Example:  In this section, we give you different examples of the ABCs in action and how to effectively use them.

PART IV: Pitching:  Here we will go over how to effectively pitch ideas and submit ideas to an editor for publication.

PART V: Final tips and FAQs: Here we go over a few more key things to do and answer the most commonly asked questions.

Part I: Introduction To Op-Eds

Op-eds are one of the most powerful tools in communications today. They can make a career. They can break a career.

But there’s often lots of mystery around editorials and op-eds. I mean: What does op-ed even stand for?

Well, let’s start with editorials. Editorials are columns written by a member of a publication’s board or editors, and they are meant to represent the view of the publication. While reporting has the main purpose of informing the public, editorials can serve a large number of purposes. But typically editorials aim to persuade an audience on a controversial issue.

Op-eds, on the other hand, are “opposite the editorial” page columns. They began as a way for an author to present an opinion that opposed the one on the editorial board. Note that an op-ed is different than a letter to the editor, which is when someone writes a note to complain about an article, and that note is published. Think of a letter to the editor as an old, more stodgy form of the comments section of an article.

The New York Times  produced the first modern op-ed in 1970, and over time, op-eds became a way for people to simply express their opinions in the media. They tend to be written by experts, observers, or someone passionate about a topic, and as media in general becomes more partisan, op-eds have become more and more common.

How to start . The first step for writing an op-ed is to be sure to: Make. An. Argument.

Many op-eds fail because they just summarize key details. But, wrong or right, op-eds need to advance a strong contention. They need to assert something, and the first step is to write down your argument.

Here are some examples:

• I want to write an op-ed on the plague that are drinks that overflow with ice cubes. This op-ed would argue that restaurants serve drinks with too many ice cubes.
• Superman is clearly better than Batman. In this op-ed, I would convince readers why Superman is a better superhero than Batman.
• My op-ed is on lowering the voting age in America. An op-ed on this topic would list reasons why Congress should pass a law to allow those who are 14 years old like me to be able to vote in elections.

How to write.  So you have yourself an argument. It’s now time to write the op-ed. When it comes to writing, this guide assumes a decent command of the English language; we’re not going to cover the basics of nouns and verbs. However, keep in mind a few things:

• Blogs, op-eds, and columns are short.  Less than 1,000 words. Usually between 500 and 700 words. Many blogs are just a few hundred words, basically a few graphs and a pull quote often does the job.
• Simplicity, logic, and clarity are your best friends  when it comes to writing op-eds and blogs. In other words, write like a middle schooler. Use short sentences and clear words. Paragraphs should be less than four sentences. Please take a look at Strunk and White for more information. I used to work with John Podesta, who has written many great op-eds, and he was rumored to have given his staff a copy of Strunk and White on their first day of employment.
• Love yourself topic sentences.  The first sentence of each paragraph needs to be strong, and your topic sentences should give an overall idea of what’s to follow. In other words, a reader should be able to grasp your article’s argument by reading the first sentence of each paragraph.

How to make an argument.  This guide is not for reporters or news writers. That’s journalism. This guide is for people who make arguments. So keep in mind the following:

• Evidence . This might be obvious, but you need evidence to support your argument. This means data in the forms of published studies, government statistics, and anything that offers cold facts. Stories are good and can support your argument. But try and go beyond a good anecdote.
• Tone . Check out the bloggers and columnists that are in the publications that you’re aiming for, and try to emulate them when it comes to their  argumentative tone . Is their tone critical? Humorous? Breezy? Your tone largely hinges on what type of outlet you are writing for, which brings us to…
• Audience .  Almost everything in your article — from what type of language you use to your tone — depends on your audience. A piece for a children’s magazine is going to read differently than, say, an op-ed in the Washington Post. The best way to familiarize yourself with your audience is to read pieces that have already been published in the outlet you are writing for, or hoping to write for. Take note of how the author presents her argument and then adjust yours accordingly.

Sidebar: Advice vs Argument.  Offering advice in the form of a how-to article — like what you’re reading right now — is different than putting forth an argument in an actual op-ed piece.

That said, advice pieces, like this  one  by Lifehacker or this  one  by Hubspot, follow much of the same ABC formula. For instance, advice pieces will still often begin with an attention-grabbing opener and contextualize their subject matter.

However, instead of trying to make an argument in the body of the article, the advice pieces will typically list five to ten ways of “how to do” something. For example, “How to cook chicken quesadillas” or “How to ask someone out on a date.”

The primary purpose of an advice piece is to inform rather than to convince. In other words, advice pieces describe what you could do, while op-ed pieces show us what we should do.

Part II: Dissecting The ABC Approach

Formula.  Six steps make up the ABC method, and yes, that means it should be called the ABCDEF method. Either way, here are the steps:

Attention  (sometimes called the lede): Here’s your chance to grab the reader’s attention. The opening of an opinion piece should bring the reader into the article quickly. This is also sometimes referred to as the flash or the lede, and there are two types of flash introductions. They are: Option 1.  Narrative flash . A narrative flash is a story that brings readers into the article. It should be some sort of narrative hook that grabs attention and entices the reader to delve further into the piece. A brief and descriptive anecdote often works well as a narrative flash. It simultaneously catches the reader’s attention and hints at the weightier argument and evidence yet to come.

When I first started writing for US News, I wrote a flash lede to introduce an article about paddling school children. Here’s that text:

Ben Line didn’t think the assistant principal had the strength or the gumption. But he was wrong. The 13-year-old alleges that the educator hit him twice with a paddle in January, so hard it left scarlet lines across his buttocks. Ben’s crime? He says he talked back to a teacher in class, calling a math problem “dumb.”

Option 2.  News flash . Some pieces — especially those tied to the news — can have a lede without a narrative start. Other pieces, including many op-eds, are simply too short to begin with a narrative flash. In either of these instances, using the news flash as your lede is likely your best bet.

If I were writing a news flash lede for the paddling piece, I might start with something as simple as: Congress again is considering legislation to outlaw paddling.

• Billboard  (also often called the nut graph): The billboard portion of the lede should do two things:

First, the “billboard” section should make an argument that elevates the stakes and begins to introduce general evidence and context for the argument. So start to introduce some general evidence to support your argument in the nut portion of the lede.

For an example of a nut graph for a longer piece on say, sibling-on-sibling rivalry, consider the following:  The Smith sisters exemplify a disturbing trend. Research indicates that violence between siblings—defined as the physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of one sibling by another, ranging from mild to highly violent—is likely more common than child abuse by parents. A new report from the University of Michigan Health System indicates the most violent members of American families are indeed the children. Data suggests that three out of 100 children are considered dangerously violent toward a brother or sister, and nine-year-old Kayla Smith is one of those victims: “My sister used to get mad and hit me every once in a while, but now it happens at least twice a week. She just goes crazy sometimes. She’s broken my nose, kicked out two teeth, and dislocated my shoulder.”

Second, the billboard should begin to lay the framework of the piece and flush out important details—with important story components like Who, What, When, Where, How, Why, etc. A good billboard graph often ends with a quote or call to action. Think of it like this: if someone reads only your “billboard” section, she should be able to grasp your argument and the basic details. If you use a narrative flash lede, then the nut paragraph often starts with something like: They are not alone. So in the padding article, for instance, the nut might have been: “Ben is not alone. In fact, 160,000 students are subject to corporal punishment in U.S. schools each year, according to a 2016 social policy report.”

For another example, here’s a history graph from a recent op-ed by John Podesta that ran in the  Washington Post :

“To give some context: On Oct. 7, 2016, WikiLeaks began leaking emails from my personal inbox that had been hacked by Russian intelligence operatives. A few days earlier, Stone — a longtime Republican operative and close confidant of then-candidate Donald Trump — had mysteriously predicted that the organization would reveal damaging information about the Clinton campaign. And weeks before that, he’d even tweeted: ‘Trust me, it will soon [be] Podesta’s time in the barrel.’”

If you’re writing an advice piece, then similar advice applies. A how-to guide for Photoshop, for example, might include recent changes to the program and information on the many ways that Photoshop can be used to edit pictures.

• Demonstrate:  In this section, you must offer specific details to support your argument. If writing an op-ed, this section can be three or four paragraphs long. If writing a column, this section can be six or ten paragraphs long. Either way, the section should outline the most compelling evidence to support your thesis. For my paddling article, for instance, I offered this argument paragraph:  The problem with corporal punishment, Straus stresses, is that it has lasting effects that include increased aggression and social difficulties. Specifically, Straus studied more than 800 mothers over a period from 1988 to 1992 and found that children who were spanked were more rebellious after four years, even after controlling for their initial behaviors. Groups that advocate for children, like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Education Association, oppose the practice in schools for those reasons.

While narrative can be vital when capturing a reader’s attention, it’s equally important to offer hard facts in the evidence section. When demonstrating the details of your argument, be sure to present accurate facts from reputable sources. Studies published in established journals are a good source of evidence, for instance, but blogs with unverified claims are not.

Also, when providing supporting details, you should think about using what the Ancient Greeks called ethos, pathos, and logos. To explain, ethos refers to appeals based on your credibility, that you’re someone worth listening to. For example, if you are arguing why steroids should be banned in baseball, you might talk about how you once used steroids and their terrible impact on your health.

Pathos refers to using evidence that plays to the emotions. For example, if you are trying to show why people should evacuate during hurricanes, you might describe a family who lost their seven-year-old child during a hurricane.

Logos refers to logical statements, typically based on facts and statistics. For example, if you are trying to convince the audience why they should join the military when they are young, provide statistics on their income when they retire and the benefits they receive while in the military.

• Equivocate : You should strengthen your argument by including at least one graph that briefly describes—and then discounts—the strongest counterargument to your point. This is often called the “to be sure” paragraph, and it hedges your bets about the clarity of your piece with phrases such as “to be sure” or “in other words.”Here’s an  example  from a recent op-ed in Bloomberg:  Of course, that doesn’t mean that Hispanics simply change while other Americans stay the same. In  his 2017 book  “The Other Side of Assimilation: How Immigrants Are Changing American Life,” Jimenez recounts how more established American groups change their culture and broaden their horizons based on their personal relationships with more recently arrived immigrant groups. Assimilation isn’t slavish conformity to white norms, but a two-way process where the U.S. is changed by each new group that arrives.
• Forward : This is where you wrap up your piece. It carries greater impact, though, if you can write an ending that has some oomph to it and really looks forward. So try to provide some parting thoughts and, when appropriate to the topic, draw your readers to look toward the future. If you began with a narrative flash lede, it’s optimal whenever possible to find a way to tie back into that introductory story. It allows you to simultaneously finalize the premise of your argument and neatly conclude your article. In an  op-ed  about gun violence that ran last year, minister Jeff Blattner looks toward the future and seamlessly ties the end of his piece back to his lede with this simple but effective kicker:  If we don’t commit ourselves to solving them together—to seeing one another as part of a bigger “us”—we may reap a whirlwind of ever-widening division. Let Pittsburgh, in its grief, show us the way.

An op-ed needs to advance a strong contention. It needs to assert something, and and the first step is write down your argument.

Part III: The ABCs In Example

Now that we have gone over the basic ABC formula, let’s examine a recent blog item and identify the six ABC steps.

Written by E.A. Crunden, the piece appeared in  ThinkProgress  and is titled, “ Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is embroiled in more than one scandal .”

• Attention :  “A controversial contract benefiting a small company based in his hometown is only the latest possible corruption scandal linked to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke…” This opening sentence introduces the most recent news on Zinke while also signaling that other scandals might be discussed in the article.
• Billboard :  “On Monday, nonprofit watchdog group the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) accused Zinke’s dormant congressional campaign of dodging rules prohibiting individuals from converting political donations into individual revenue.” The second paragraph adds more information about Zinke’s alleged missteps.
• Context :  “Zinke’s other ethical close-calls, as the CLC noted, are plentiful.”  This provides some background to the main argument and lets the reader know that Zinke has a long history of questionable ethics, which the author expands upon in the following paragraphs.
• Demonstrate :  “As a Montana congressman, Zinke took thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from oil and gas companies, many of whom drill on the same public lands he now oversees…”  Here the author gives specific evidence of Zinke’s actions that some believe to be unethical. This fortifies the argument. The following few paragraphs continue in this vein.
• Equivocate :  “I had absolutely nothing to do with Whitefish Energy receiving a contract in Puerto Rico,” the interior secretary wrote in a statement on Friday.”  In this case, the equivocation appears in the form of a counterargument. The writer goes on to dismiss it by presenting additional clarifying evidence to support his point.
• Forward:   “Monday’s complaint comes amid a Special Counsel investigation into Zinke’s spending habits, as well as a separate investigation opened by the Interior Department’s inspector general. Audits into Puerto Rico’s canceled contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings are also ongoing.”  These final two sentences “zoom out” from the specifics of the article, showing that the main news item (i.e., Zinke’s poor ethics) will continue to be relevant in the future. These forward-looking sentences also circle back neatly to the point of the flash news lede by reiterating that “Monday’s complaint” is yet another in a growing list against Zinke.

Part IV: Pitching

When it comes to op-eds, most outlets want to review a finished article. In other words, you write the op-ed and then shop it around to different editors. In some cases, the outlet might want a pitch — or brief summary— of the op-ed before you write it.

Either way, you’ll need a short summary, even just a few sentences that describe your argument. Here is an example of the pitch that I wrote that landed me on the front page of the Washington Post’s Outlook section. Note that this pitch is long, but I was aiming for a more feature-like op-ed.

I wanted to pitch a first-person piece looking at Neurocore, the questionable brain-training program that’s funded by Betsy DeVos.  

DeVos just got confirmed as Secretary of Education, and for years, she’s been one of the major investors in Neurocore. Located in Michigan and Florida, the company makes some outlandish promises about brain-based training. The firm has argued, for instance, that its neuro-feedback programs can increase a person’s IQ by up to 12 points.

I was going to take Neurocore’s diagnostic program to get a better sense of the company’s claims. As part of the story, I was also going to discuss the research on neuro-feedback, which is pretty weak. Insurance companies are also skeptical, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan recently refused to reimburse for Neurocore’s treatments. I’d also discuss some of my research in this area and talk about some of the dangers of spreading myths about learning.

There’s been some recent coverage of Neurocore. But the articles have typically focused on the conflict of interest posed by the company since DeVos herself has refused to disinvest. What’s more, no one appears to have written a first-person piece describing the experience of attending one of their brain training diagnostic sessions.

A few bits of advice:

• Newsy.  Whenever possible, build off the news. A good way to drum up interest in your piece is to connect it to current events. People naturally are interested in reading op-eds that are linked to recent news pieces — so, an op-ed on Electoral College reform will be more relevant around election season, for instance. It’s often effective to pitch your piece following a major news event. Even better if you can pitch your op-ed in advance; for example, a piece on voter suppression in the United States might be pitched in advance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Here’s an  article  from McGill University that has some advice on this idea.
• Tailor.  Again, in this step of the process, it’s worth considering the audience of the publication. For example, if you’re writing in the business section of a newspaper, you’ll want to frame the article around business. If you are writing for a sports magazine, you’ll want to write about topics like “Who is the greatest golfer of all time, Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus?”

Also, websites sometimes have information on pitching their editors. Be sure to follow whatever specific advice they give — this will improve your chances of catching an editor’s eye.

Advice pieces describe what you could do, while op-ed pieces show us what we should do.

Part V: FAQs And Tips

I have lots to say. Can I write a 3,000-word op-ed?

Not really. Most blog articles, op-eds, and columns are short. What’s more, your idea is more likely to gain traction if it’s clear and simple. Take the Bible. It can be broken down to a simple idea: Love one another as you love yourself. Or take the Bill of Rights. It can be shortened to: Individuals have protections.

I want to tell a story. Can I do that?

Maybe. If you do, keep it short and reference the story at the top and maybe again at the bottom. But again, the key to an op-ed is that it makes an argument.

What should do before I hit submit?

We could suggest two things:

• Make sure you cite all your sources. Avoid plagiarism of any kind. If you’re in doubt, provide a citation via a link or include endnotes citing your sources.
• Check your facts. The  New York Times  op-ed columnist Bret Stephens says it this way: “Sweat the small stuff. Read over each sentence—read it aloud—and ask yourself: Is this true? Can I defend every single word of it? Did I get the facts, quotes, dates, and spellings exactly right? Yes, sometimes those spellings are hard: the president of Turkmenistan is Gurbanguly Malikguliyevich Berdymukhammedov. But, believe me, nothing’s worse than having to run a correction.” For more guidance, see Stephen’s  list of tips for aspiring op-ed writers .
• Read it out loud. Before I submit something, I’ll read it out loud. It helps me catch typos and other errors. For more on talking out loud as a tool, see this  article  that I pulled together some time ago.

What’s the difference between a blog article and an op-ed?

A blog article can be about anything such as “What I had for lunch today” or “Why I love Disney World.” An op-ed typically revolves around something in the news and is meant to be persuasive. It typically runs in a news outlet of some kind.

What if no one takes my op-ed?

Be patient. You might need to offer your op-ed to multiple outlets before someone decides to publish it, and you can always tweak the op-ed to make it more news-y, tying the article to something that happened in the news that day or week.

Also, look for ways to improve the op-ed. You might, for instance, focus on changing the “attention” section to make it more creative and interesting or try to improve the context section.

What is the best way to start writing an op-ed?

Before writing, make sure to create an outline. I will often write out my topic sentences and make sure that I’m making a strong, evidence-based argument. Then I’ll focus on a creative way to open my op-ed.

Don’t worry if you get writer’s block while writing the “attention” step. You can always come back and make it more interesting. Really, the most important step is having an outline.

Should I hyperlink?

Yes, include hyperlinks in your articles to provide your readers with easy access to additional information.

–Ulrich Boser

16 thoughts on “How To Write an Op-ed: A Step By Step Guide”

Thanks for this excellent refresher!

I am writing this with the hope that the leasing of the port of Haifa will not come to fruition,It will give the Chinese a strong foothold in the middle east. No longer will the United States 6th fleet have a home away from home..May i remind those who are in command that NO OTHER COUNTRY in the world has helped Israel more than the US.and it would be a slap in the face of our best friend and cause many , many consequences in the future for the state of Israel. I pray to G-D that those in charge will come to their senses and hopefully cancel the agreement. M A, Modiin

Excellent piece of writing ideas, Thanks a lot for sharing these amazing tricks.

INTERESABTE TODA LA INFORMACION

Gracias, Julio!

Good information

So glad you enjoyed it!

Glad it was helpful. Did I miss something in your comment?

Well done, But it’s needs practice!! Hands on!

Write with is one of the most critical steps of the writing process and is probably relevant to the first point. If you want to get your blood pumping and give it your best, you might want to write with passion, and give it all you got. How do you do this? Make sure that you have the right mindset whenever you are writing.

Create a five-paragraph editorial about a topic that matters to you.

Reading this I realized I should get some more information on this subject. I feel like there’s a gap in my knowledge. Anyway, thanks.

Thank you very much for your really helpful tips. I’m currently writing a lesson plan to help students write better opinion pieces and your hands-on approach, if a bit too detailed for my needs, is truly valuable. I hope my students will see it the same way 😉

Great article! Will implement these own steps in my own top 10 website!

Thank you for sharing your expertise. Your advice on incorporating storytelling, providing evidence, and addressing counterarguments is invaluable for ensuring the effectiveness and persuasiveness of op-eds.

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• Writing & Media

Writing Effective Op-Eds

Do you have an interesting opinion to share? If you can express it clearly and persuasively in an op-ed article, you may reach millions of people, sway hearts, change minds and perhaps even reshape public policy. In the process, you may also earn recognition for yourself and your department, all for less effort than it takes to write a professional journal article.

University Communications has a strong record of placing op-ed articles in many of the nation’s leading news outlets. Our team developed these guidelines to help you write an article that media outlets may accept for publication.

As you think about writing opinion pieces, please keep in mind that competition is fierce at top opinion outlets such as The New York Times and the Washington Post. That’s never been truer than right now, so it’s smart to remain flexible regarding where your piece may land.

If you’re a faculty member with an idea in the works, please reach out for guidance to the communicator in your school or unit, or contact Eric Ferreri at University Communications, to improve your chances of success.

Track the news and jump at opportunities.  Timing is critical. When an issue is dominating the news — whether it’s a war, a stock market panic or just the latest controversy on a reality TV show — that’s what readers want to read and op-ed editors want to publish. Whenever possible, link your issue explicitly to something happening in the news. If you’re a researcher studying cancer, for instance, start off by discussing the celebrity who died yesterday. Or, look ahead to a holiday or anniversary a week from now that will provide a fresh news peg (and enable editors to plan the story in advance).

Limit the article to 750 words.

Make a single point, and do it well.  You cannot solve all of the world’s problems in 750 words. Be satisfied with making a single point clearly and persuasively. If you cannot explain your message in a sentence or two, you’re trying to cover too much.

Put your main point on top.   You have no more than 10 seconds to hook a busy reader, which means you shouldn’t “clear your throat” with a witticism or historical aside. Get to the point and convince the reader that it’s worth his or her valuable time to continue.

Tell readers why they should care.  Put yourself in the place of the busy person looking at your article. At the end of every few paragraphs, ask out loud: “So what? Who cares?” Will your suggestions help reduce readers’ taxes? Protect them from disease? Make their children happier? Explain why.

Offer specific recommendations:

• An op-ed is not a news story that simply describes a situation; it is your opinion about how to improve matters.
• An op-ed is not a journal article. It needs to be personal–both in terms of having your personal voice and perspective come through, and also in covering a topic that is personal to the readers.
• Don’t be satisfied, as you might be in a classroom, with mere analysis. Op-eds are, by definition, opinions and they should advocate persuasively for something. How exactly should your state protect its environment, or the White House change its foreign policy or parents choose healthier foods for their children? You’ll need to do more than call for “more research!” or suggest that opposing parties work out their differences. The best opinion pieces have a clear, persuasive and well-argued call to action. They should answer the question: What do you want the reader to do, think or feel as a result of your piece?

Showing is better than discussing.  You may remember the Pentagon’s overpriced toilet seat that became a symbol of profligate federal spending. You probably don’t recall the total Pentagon budget for that year (or for that matter, for the current year). That’s because we humans remember colorful details better than dry facts. When writing an op-ed article, therefore, look for great examples that will bring your argument to life.

Embrace your personal voice.  The best of these examples will come from your own experience.  If you are a physician, describe the plight of one of your patients, and then tell us how this made you feel personally. If you’ve worked with poor families, tell a story about one of them to help argue your point. In so doing, your words will ring truer and the reader will care more about what you are saying.

Use short sentences and paragraphs.  Look at op-ed articles in your target outlet and count the number of words per sentence, then use the same style, relying mainly on simple declarative sentences. Cut long paragraphs into two or more shorter ones.

Avoid jargon.  If a technical detail is not essential to your argument, don’t use it. When in doubt, leave it out. Simple language doesn’t mean simple thinking; it means you are being considerate of readers who want to learn something by reading your piece.

Use the active voice.  Don’t write: “It is hoped that [or: One would hope that] the government will …” Instead, say “I hope the government will …” Active voice is nearly always better than passive voice. It’s easier to read, and it leaves no doubt about who is doing the hoping, recommending or other action.

Avoid tedious rebuttals.  If you’ve written your article in response to an earlier piece that made your blood boil, avoid the temptation to prepare a point-by-point rebuttal. It makes you look petty. It’s likely that readers didn’t see the earlier article and, if they did, they’ve probably forgotten it. So, just take a deep breath, mention the earlier article once and argue your own case. If you really need to rebut the article, forego an op-ed article and instead write a letter to the editor, which is more appropriate for this purpose.

Acknowledge the other side.  Op-ed authors sometimes make the mistake of piling on one reason after another why they’re right and their opponents are wrong. Opinions that acknowledge the ways in which their opponents are right come across as more credible and balanced. When you see experienced op-ed authors saying “to be sure,” that’s what they’re doing.

Make your ending a winner.  In addition to having a strong opening paragraph to hook readers, it’s also important to summarize your argument in a strong final paragraph. That’s because many casual readers scan the headline, skim the opening and then read the final paragraph and byline. In fact, many columnists conclude with a phrase or thought that appeared in the opening.

Relax and have fun.  Remember that an op-ed article is not an exercise in solemnity. Opinion editors despair of weighty articles  and delight in an academic writer who chooses examples from “Entertainment Tonight” as well as from eminent authorities.

Don’t worry about the headline.  The newspaper will write its own headline. You can suggest one, but don’t spend a lot of time worrying about it.

Offer graphics.  If you have a terrific illustration, photo, video or other asset that might accompany your article, alert the editor when you send it.

How to submit an article.  Almost all outlets now post guidelines about how they prefer to receive op-ed submissions. In general, they provide an e-mail address where you can submit the article electronically, but check first. Always be sure to include your contact information, and say whether you have a photo of yourself available.

Where to submit the article.   The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal–as well as other national publications such as USA Today–receive a staggering number of submissions, the overwhelming majority of which are rejected. Think about the audience that will most benefit from hearing your argument and tailor your submission plan accordingly.

Regardless of where you send it, you will fare best with arguments that are provocative, humorous, personal or unexpected.

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Opinion The Washington Post guide to writing an opinion article

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Each month, The Washington Post publishes dozens of op-eds from guest authors. These articles — written by subject-matter experts, politicians, journalists and other people with something interesting to say — provide a diversity of voices and perspectives for our readers.

The information and tips below are meant to demystify our selection and editing process, and to help you sharpen your argument before submitting an op-ed of your own.

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Expert Commentary

How to write an op-ed or column

Tip sheet on formulating, researching, writing and editing news opinion articles.

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by The Journalist's Resource, The Journalist's Resource January 28, 2013

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The following is reprinted courtesy of Jeffrey Seglin , lecturer in public policy and director of the Harvard Kennedy School Communications Program :

An op-ed piece derives its name from originally having appeared opposite the editorial page in a newspaper. Today, the term is used more widely to represent a column that represents the strong, informed and focused opinion of the writer on an issue of relevance to a targeted audience.

Distinguishing characteristics of an op-ed or column

Partly, a column is defined by where it appears, but it shares some common characteristics:

• Typically, it is short, between 750 and 800 words.
• It has a clearly defined point.
• It has a clearly defined point of view.
• It represents clarity of thinking.
• It contains the strong, distinctive voice of the writer.

Questions to ask yourself when writing an op-ed or column

• Do I have a clear point to make? If so, what is it?
• Who cares? (Writing with a particular audience in mind can inform how you execute your column. Who is it that you are trying to convince? Why are you targeting that specific reader?)
• Is there substance to my argument?

Topic and theme

Every successful op-ed piece or column must have a clearly defined topic and theme.

• The topic is the person, place, issue, incident or thing that is the primary focus of the column. The topic is usually stated in the first paragraph.
• The theme is the big, overarching idea of the column. What’s your point in writing about the chosen topic and why is it important? The theme may appear early in the piece or it may appear later when it may also serve as a turning point into a deeper level of argument.

While columns and op-ed pieces allow writers to include their own voice and express an opinion, to be successful the columns must be grounded in solid research. Research involves acquiring facts, quotations, citations or data from sources and personal observation. Research also allows a reader to include sensory data (touch, taste, smell, sound or sight) into a column. There are two basic methods of research:

• Field research: going to the scene, interviews, legwork; primary materials, observations, and knowledge.
• Library, academic, or internet research: using secondary materials, including graphs, charts, and scholarly articles.

Openings and endings

The first line of an op-ed is crucial. The opening “hook” may grab the reader’s attention with a strong claim, a surprising fact, a metaphor, a mystery, or a counter-intuitive observation that entices the reader into reading more. The opening also briefly lays the foundation for your argument.

Similarly, every good column or op-ed piece needs a strong ending that fulfills some basic requirements. It:

• Echoes or answers introduction.
• Has been foreshadowed by preceding thematic statements.
• Is the last and often most memorable detail.
• Contains a final epiphany or calls the reader to action.

There are two basic types of endings. An “open ending” suggests rather than states a conclusion, while a “closed ending” states rather than suggests a conclusion. The closed ending in which the point of the piece is resolved is by far the most commonly used.

Having a strong voice is critical to a successful column or op-ed piece. Columns are most typically conversational in tone, so you can imagine yourself have a conversation with your reader as you write (a short, focused conversation). But the range of voice used in columns can be wide: contemplative, conversational, descriptive, experienced, informative, informed, introspective, observant, plaintive, reportorial, self-effacing, sophisticated or humorous, among many other possibilities.

Sometimes what voice you use is driven by the publication for which you are writing. A good method of developing your voice is to get in the practice of reading your column or op-ed out loud. Doing so gives you a clear sense of how your piece might sound – what your voice may come off as – to your intended reader.

Revision checklist

Below are some things to remember as you revise your op-ed or column before you submit it for publication. You should always check:

• Coherence and unity.
• Simplicity.
• Voice and tone. Most are conversational; some require an authoritative voice.
• Direct quotations and paraphrasing for accuracy.
• That you properly credit all sources (though formal citations are not necessary).
• The consistency of your opinion throughout your op-ed or column.

Further resources

Below are links to some online resources related to op-ed and column writing:

• The Op-Ed Project is a terrific resource for anyone looking to strengthen their op-ed writing. It provides tips on op-ed writing, suggestions about basic op-ed structure, guidelines on how to pitch op-ed pieces to publications, and information about top outlets that publish op-eds. Started as an effort to increase the number of women op-ed writers, The Op-Ed Project also regularly runs daylong seminars around the country.
• “How to Write an Op-Ed Article,” which was prepared by David Jarmul, Duke’s associate vice president for news and communications, provides great guidelines on how to write a successful op-ed.
• “How to Write Op-Ed Columns,” which was prepared by The Earth Institute at Columbia University, is another useful guide to writing op-eds. It contains a useful list of op-ed guidelines for top-circulation newspapers in the U.S.
• “And Now a Word from Op-Ed,” offers some advice on how to think about and write op-eds from the Op-Ed editor of The New York Times .

Author Jeffrey Seglin is a lecturer in public policy and director of the Harvard Kennedy School Communications Program .

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About The Author

The Journalist's Resource

Writing Studio

How to write an op-ed.

These tips are based on an “ On Writing ” panel hosted by the Writing Studio and the Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute on November 20, 2019 that included Professor of Communications Bonnie Dow, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Strategic Communications Ian Morrison, Professor of History Moses Ochonu, and Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Science Jonathan Gilligan.

Why Write an Op-Ed in Graduate School?

As our panelists pointed out, writing op-eds can be a useful exercise, even an important piece of academic training.

It can be a way for you to take your research, your expertise, and communicate to the public and make an engagement with people who aren’t in the academic world, regardless of where the op-ed is placed.

Writing an op-ed, in other words, is a way of practicing, or putting your effort into saying, “My work matters.”

Know Your Audience

“Really take the time to think about, where am I trying to place this? Who are their readers? How do they want to hear this? What is going to grab their attention?” – Ian Morrison

As an op-ed writer your audience is twofold: you need to think about both the publisher’s attention—for which you will be competing with thousands of other submissions—as well as the reader’s. For this reason, an attention-grabbing first paragraph, if not first sentence, is paramount.

It also helps to think about the role of opinion pages: as a forum for opinion, they create conversations that live beyond the pages of the publication in which they originally appear. In other words, op-eds seek to amplify the discussion.

Really take the time to think about where you are trying to place the op-ed, who the readers are, what and how do they want to hear this, and what is going to grab their attention. At the same time, aim to be interesting and relevant. You need to address issues in the public conversation.

Organization and Style

“Examples and anecdotes engage readers. Opening with an example, an anecdote, or with a startling statistic works really well at the top of an op-ed.” – Bonnie Dow

Short paragraphs—two to three sentences, maybe four—are a must. If you submit traditional academic paragraphs, you risk having them shortened by the publisher in ways you don’t like. You might end up with something that doesn’t make sense to you. So keep your paragraphs short.

Use structure to build to your point. In other words, make the paragraphs do the work of transitions and previews for you. Instead of saying “first,” “second,” or “third” in op-eds, start a new paragraph when you want to say something.

Use short, punchy, declarative sentences. This will help you stick to the word limit and avoid a situation in which the publisher chops up the piece for you. You absolutely want to maintain control of your own message. Be wary of semicolons or colons; if you need the latter, your sentences are probably too long. Use active rather than passive writing.

Content and Accuracy

“If you’re looking for places to have an impact, look at all the media that you can engage with. The op-ed is one specific thing, and it is one specific writing style, and one specific medium.” –Jonathan Gilligan

Think about your goals and your narrative. Ask yourself, does it fit with other op-eds I’ve read? Can I accomplish my goals using this structure of writing? Remember: don’t under-qualify things. Factual accuracy is incredibly important. If you write an op-ed and you oversimplify, your words are out there permanently.

Avoid giving the wrong impression of too much certainty that comes from blunting nuance or veering close to misrepresentation (even if there is wiggle-room for justification). That’s part of the struggle: strive for simplicity, be punchy, but make sure that you are willing to stand behind exactly what you said the way you said it with your reputation as a scholar.

And remember: Always proofread, proofread, proofread!

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by Cynthia Ryan, PhD

One of the inevitable side effects of being diagnosed with cancer is having a unique perspective on a host of subjects. Many survivors discover a voice that they never knew they possessed and suddenly feel the urge to weigh in on everything from surprising gaps in health insurance coverage to imbalanced media reports on cancer research to the inappropriate language choices some well-wishers use when talking to a survivor. A great way to reach a wider audience for these ideas and possibly influence what people are thinking, saying, and doing is to write an op-ed.

Op-eds, short for essays that run opposite the editorial page in a newspaper, are powerful vehicles for communicating important arguments. Unlike the rest of a newspaper (as well as other print and social media sites that also welcome opinion pieces) which is written by staff writers, the op-ed page represents a range of voices, from experts to everyday people who bring a fresh perspective to public issues. Landing a place on the page requires the ability to craft a solid argument and identify an appropriate market for the essay. Follow these tips for basic guidance on writing and pitching your ideas.

Some Guidelines for Publishable Op-eds

• Essays on the op-ed page are usually brief, typically 500-800 words in length, so arguments must be made concisely. Most published op-eds follow these guidelines:
• The point being argued is sufficiently narrow. While it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make a convincing case for a complete overhaul of the healthcare system in so few words, you could draw attention to a troubling policy regarding patients’ rights sprouting up in hospitals across the country.
• The subject of your essay is timely. A well-crafted op-ed sparks interest because it’s tied to something that readers are already talking about: a recent research finding linking a particular environmental risk factor to cancer, an upcoming vote in the state legislature that will affect survivors in some way, or a celebration of a milestone in the medical field.
• You bring another perspective (personal and/or professional) to the table. Published op-eds offer something new to an ongoing conversation, a point that hasn’t been argued ad nauseam. You might frame your argument along the lines of”While we know x and y about ________, we haven’t considered z.” Your job will be to flesh out the reasons why z matters to the discussion.
• Your op-ed does more than offer an opinion. You’ve brought in evidence to back up your claim and have considered that there’s more than one way to think about the position you’re advocating.

Structuring Op-eds

Most op-eds follow a similar structure:

• There’s been a lot of discussion about the relative safety of e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking traditional tobacco products. However, few have addressed the ways in which the promotion of e-cigarettes sustains the culture of smoking in our society. If we hope to dissuade future generations from smoking, we must rethink our strategy of replacing one product with another.
• Point 1: Many behaviors that turn into habits are adopted by those hoping to connect with a particular social group. Evidence might include data from a recent study suggesting that a high percentage of smokers began smoking to fit in.
• Point 2: By maintaining the culture of smoking surrounding e-cigarettes, we are prioritizing the interests of those in the tobacco industry over the health of our citizens. Evidence could include information about how much advertising money is spent each year on glamourizing smoking and smoking products compared to the cost of treating individuals with smoke-related illnesses.
• Point 3: By replacing tobacco products with e-cigarettes, we are encouraging smokers to trade off one bad behavior for a somewhat better one rather than urging them to rid themselves of the behavior altogether. Evidence to back up this point might get personal, for example, you may include a quote from a family member who is frustrated by his continued reliance on e-cigarettes.
• But isn’t an alternative that might lower an individual’s risk for certain kinds of cancer, heart disease, and other serious conditions a good thing? Yes, but the alternative (if scientifically proven to decrease these risks) should also address the cultural values fueling the problem.
• If we are serious about creating a smoke-free society, then we must commit to the eradication of all tobacco products. Our acceptance of alternatives falls short of our goal to promote a culture of health.

Finding a Home for Your Op-ed

Once the op-ed is written, it’s time to send it out to editors. Most newspapers and other print and online outlets provide specific instructions for writers hoping to be published. As a seasoned op-ed writer, I typically review guidelines for the outlets I hope to target before I write an essay and then take another look at the newspaper’s criteria prior to submitting the finished piece. In some instances, the scope of issues covered on a publication’s op-ed page is limited or the requested word length is beyond the standard. It’s important to know these things before writing your op-ed.

Several websites are extremely helpful in providing tips for increasing your chances of acceptance and answering questions about the etiquette of contacting editors about op-ed ideas and submissions. One of the best is The Op-Ed Project .

We survivors have a wealth of information and ideas to share. I hope that the information provided in this article encourages all of us to get out there and make our voices heard!

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How To Write An Op-Ed

The Definitive Guide (2024)

What You're Going To Learn

In this post, you’re going to learn how to write an op-ed in 2024.

At Pinkston, we help develop, edit and place hundreds of op-eds a year for thought leaders, CEOs, politicians, professors and other experts in national publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The Washington Post and USA Today and more.

In this guide, we’ll be discussing what makes a successful op-ed and how you can improve your chances of getting yours published. It includes:

• Real-life examples
• Actionable, practical strategies
• Downloadable op-ed guide

So, if you want to have a better chance of getting your op-ed published in top-tier publications, then this guide is for you.

Let’s start with the basics:

Understand the Media.

What drives the news cycle? What are reporters looking for in a story? How can you break through the noise? Learn how you can tell your story clearly, effectively and uniquely.

• What is an Op-Ed?

Why Write an Op-Ed in 2024?

• Writing your Op-Ed
• The Writing Basics

Op-Ed Structure

Don't have time to read the whole guide now?

We'll send you a free digital copy so you can read it at your own convenience. Plus, we'll include a bonus chapter.

What is an Op-ed?

An op-ed is a short essay that expresses the opinion of an author on a particular subject.

The term “op-ed” comes from an opinion page created by the New York Times in 1970 , which meant, literally, “opposite the editorial page.” The term stuck, and today, op-eds are found everywhere from print publications to online media.

Are op-eds even a viable form of communication in a time when the traditional media landscape is shifting ?

In short: yes, if you do it correctly.

Writing an op-ed is an opportunity for you to write about the issues you care about or introduce an idea to new audiences. It’s also a chance for you to tell your story on your terms. In today’s increasingly fast-paced reporting environment, it’s often hard to make your voice heard through social media or television appearances alone. With an op-ed, you can craft a piece that will present your truth in an unfiltered medium and make a lasting impact on your audience.

Op-eds establish you as a respected voice in your field and open the door to new opportunities. As a matter of fact, successful op-ed writers have gone on to gain speaking, hosting and panelist gone on to gain speaking, hosting and panelist invitations, book deals and other opportunities.

Some people think writing an op-ed is just preaching to the choir. But a 2018 study by Yale and the Cato Institute showed that op-eds have a strong and lasting effect on people’s positions and can actually change their perspective on an issue – not just in the short term, but in the long term.

In the study, researchers split 3,500 people into two groups—a control group who did not read any op-eds but were asked about their positions on specific op-ed issues; and treatment groups of those who read op-eds from the NYT, WSJ, Newsweek and USA Today on various topics, like climate change and federal spending. Sixty-five to seventy percent of readers said they agreed with the author of the op-ed they read. Only 50% of the control group agreed with the author’s point.

The effect is not restricted to an uneducated audience, but it also goes for key opinion leaders. The study was also performed with a group of 2,000 “elite readers”: professors, politicians, journalists, thank, bankers and congressional staffers. The results were the same.

Writing Your Op-Ed

Step 1: choose your topic first; know your audience.

Before you start writing, you should identify your ideal publication and who the typical readers are for that publication.

Your piece might not end up in that specific publication, but it’s a good way to determine what the tone of the writing should be.

For example, if you’re writing for USA Today , you’ll be writing for a more general audience – anyone from a stay-at-home parent to a business traveler in a hotel.

If you want your piece to appear in The Washington Post , consider writing for politically-minded readers.

For the Wall Street Journal , your readers will probably be people well-versed in business and finance.

Read the outlets where you would like your op-ed to be published so you can get a sense of what topics they publish and what kind of writing they like.

STEP 2: MAKE IT CURRENT

Track the news for the topics that matter to you and think about tying your op-ed to something that’s happening in current events – for example, a political event, a study that’s just been released, or a change in the markets.

Besides news-of-the-day angles, you can also tie a piece to big-picture topics or challenges that are relevant to a modern audience – like taxes, retirement, or health care.

Remember that the news moves fast. If your op-ed is referencing something coming up – like a holiday or an election – try to write the piece as early as possible, before a publication’s slots on that topic fill up.

If you’re writing about something that has just happened, you’ll want to write and submit it as soon as possible – ideally within hours of an event’s occurrence. The ideal time to publish a piece about something that just happened is the day after the event.

In reality, your op-ed should fall into one of these three categories. Your title, or headline, should state this topic upfront so the reader knows exactly what to expect.

STEP 3: WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW AND HAVE AN OPINION

It’s important to pick a topic you’re passionate about – if you care about what you’re writing about, your readers will too.

This topic can be something related to your work, but it could also be something you came across in your day-to-day life. If you’re writing as a representative of a company or organization, think about the issues that might help strengthen that organization’s profile.

Next, think about what take on that topic might catch a reader’s eye.

This could be a provocative or unexpected view on a current issue, a solution to a problem or challenge people face, or a new thought on a neglected subject.

If it’s a news headline, what is your unique take on it? If it’s a more general topic, think about why this issue is relevant to people right now.

Regardless of your take on a topic, your piece should always have an opinion or an argument. An op-ed is not simply an educational or explanatory literature.

Remember that it’s okay to use the first-person “I” voice in an op-ed.

Here are some examples of op-ed topics:

• Carbon offsets are not enough. Leaders need to change the way we work to address climate change. (Fast Company)
• The Great Reshuffle is over. Welcome to the Big Stay. (Fortune)
• Why this modified pig heart transplant is a huge deal. (CNN)
• Nuclear power could save air quality. At what cost to the water? (LA Times)

THE WRITING BASICS

Op-eds don’t have to follow the same structure or pattern, but generally, this is a good road map to follow:

STEP ONE: THE LEDE

The lede, also known as a hook, is the opening sentence of your op-ed. It is what will hook your reader and should describe the event, situation or issue that prompted you to write your op-ed in the first place.

This can be a recent headline, a new statistic, a surprising fact, or a personal story or observation. You’ll want to keep this in the first paragraph.

Your lede could be:

• Something that just happened, is happening or is coming up in current events. For example: "After the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that a Colorado web developer may refuse to create wedding websites for same-sex couples, the implications of the decision are becoming clear." (AdAge)
• Recently-released research, for example, "A recent study by the Pew Research Center suggests that the content of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s seismic “I Have a Dream” speech is fading in Americans’ collective memory.” (USA Today)
• A generally relevant topic that people should take note of.
• A persona story or observation that’s relevant to your argument.

To read more examples of successful ledes, download our “How to Write an Op-Ed” guide.

STEP TWO: THE FIRST PARAGRAPH

Next, you’ll want to state your particular argument or opinion on this hook, and why it’s relevant to a reader. This should immediately follow the hook, and should be conveyed in one to two sentences within the first or second paragraph.

Here’s an example of a strong op-ed opening paragraph:

“A 40-year-old man arrives in my hospital’s emergency department, blue from not breathing. It takes several rounds of medication and ventilators to save his life. That same day on the medical wards, an overhead speaker pages a “rapid response” announcement to my elderly patient’s room; she cannot wake up. And down the hallway, a middle-age finance manager is causing a scene because he isn’t prescribed the IV medication he wants. All of these scenes happen on a daily basis, not just in my hospital but in those around the country. And all three of these patients’ ailments have the same cause: opioids .”

This op-ed, written by a physician about the opioid crisis, uses a storytelling tactic, setting the scene with strong details.

Another Example:

“More than 115 biotech companies have announced layoffs this year, on track to easily surpass 2022’s numbers. While this is not a new trend, the current trajectory is concerning, as it portends more difficult times ahead for the pharmaceutical industry–already in the midst of a major upheaval. It should also be another wake-up call to pharma executives: the old way of doing business needs to change–and urgently.”

In this op-ed, the author uses a statistic to establish authority, then tells you upfront what she’s going to talk about.

STEP THREE: SUPPORT YOUR OPINION

The middle, or body, of your op-ed is the part where you convince a reader why your argument or opinion is valid. This will take up the bulk of your piece and you should aim for 3-6 short paragraphs between your introduction and conclusion.

Each individual paragraph should be its own point and can utilize one of these example types.

You should always use specific examples to support your claims. These examples could be:

• Statistics (like results from research or surveys)
• Personal stories or anecdotes
• A story about a person affected by the issue
• Problems caused by the status quo
• Details about the solution you’re proposing
• Bullet points or a list, if you are offering multiple solutions

Here is an example of a supporting paragraph for an op-ed titled “As antisemitism rises, Holocaust education is a deeply personal topic for me” (USA Today)

“A 2018 MIT study found that false information travels six times faster on social media than the truth. This is alarming. It’s difficult enough for adults who are aware of what’s going on to make sense of it. Absent any protections, these young minds are navigating a minefield of information while still learning what truth is.”

Note how the author, who is arguing for the urgency of teaching students more dynamically about the Holocaust, establishes his authority by citing a reputable source.

Want to learn how to write an Op-Ed for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY or other national news outlet?

STEP FOUR: CONCLUSION

In your last paragraph or last two paragraphs, remind readers why this issue should matter to them.

Your conclusion is an opportunity for you to really drive home your point and leave the reader with something that they can walk away with. There’s a good chance that your last words will be the one that your reader remembers, so use them to their full potential.

You conclusion can include a recap of a solution you’re proposing, provide advice or a recommendation.

Here are some real-life examples of all three potential endings:

• A recap of the solution you’re proposing: “As the number of Holocaust survivors and citizens of the world who lived through World War II dwindles, it is through stories, objects and memories that the Jewish people’s legacy lives on. Survivors like me need to know that our experiences have meaning and that our community cares about what becomes of us. To make sure atrocities such as the Holocaust never happen again, we need to keep these stories alive.” (LA Times)
• Advice or a recommendation: “Hot spot policing works. Focusing surveillance and resources on the small group of individuals who commit most of the violence works. Employing street outreach workers to engage with these individuals also works, when properly implemented. The best time to redouble these strategies is when violence is already on the decline, giving the police and community groups more time to be proactive.” (USA Today)
• A call to action: “Anyone in either party who aspires to national leadership must resist these teachers unions and do what’s right—fight for families’ right to self-determination, especially for poor children trapped in failing schools. In Pennsylvania, we will never give up on this battle.” (The Wall Street Journal)

STEP 5: REVIEW YOUR OP-ED

Besides checking for spelling, grammar and length, review your op-ed to make sure it’s clear and concise. The best way to do this is to ask someone who isn’t an expert in your topic to read it. Does it make sense to them? Are there areas that need more clarity? Another great way to review a piece of writing is to read it out loud. Often, our brains overlook errors when we are reading silently; when we read something out loud, we can more easily catch errors or sentences that need adjustments.

Op-Ed rejected?

Download our free PDF and learn 6 common reasons why editors pass on op-ed submissions.

Remember, when you’re writing an op-ed, have these three important things:

• Relevant topic
• Your own opinion
• Evidence to back it up.

This is the start to crafting a well-written, interesting op-ed that will catch the eye of editors and readers alike.

Op-eds are a way to communicate your individual voice, personality and opinion. They are an opportunity for you to write about issues you care about, tell a personal story or introduce a provocative idea to new audiences. Despite changes in media, op-eds are still published by most major publications, and they continue to be one of the best tools for thought leadership today.

Your opinion matters. Learn how to get yours heard.

Download our free guide that includes a bonus chapter.

Your opinion matters; let it be heard.

Download our free PDF guide on how to write an op-ed and get an additional bonus chapter.

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Op Ed Essay Made Easy: Example And Topics From Experts

Do you have an op ed essay task but no idea how to go about it? You are not alone because a lot of people get stuck even before starting. Whether the trouble is in picking good op ed essay ideas or do not understand the right format to use, we are here to help.

This post is a comprehensive guide on how to write an op ed essay. Keep reading to find out more about the best op ed essay format and useful writing tips. To cap it all, we have listed the best 60 op ed topics for essay.

Table Of Contents

Op-Ed Essay Definition

How to write a good op ed essay, op ed essay example, writing an op ed essay: a step-by-step guide, top op ed essay writing tips, interesting op ed essay ideas.

Before looking at how to write a good op ed essay, it is crucial to start by answering the question, “What is it?” Traditionally, it is an opinion piece, mainly used in print media, appearing opposite the editorial page (hence the name “op-ed). These are essays done by authors who are not affiliated with the publisher and are used to provide an opinion to provoke discussion and thought among the readers.

Op-ed essays are slightly longer than the common letter to the editor and have become very common in both print and digital media. Because they offer expert opinions, it is important to start by learning how they are done by reading other top op ed essay examples in specific areas. However, most people still find using op ed examples essay not be enough and opt to seek essay writing help.

When writing an op ed essay, perhaps the most important thing is getting the right topic because it shapes the opinion that you will work on. Try to dig deeper into the topic and answer the question, “What is the latest trend about it?”

Like a standard essay, it is crucial to start your work by developing a good essay structure. Here is the most preferred op ed essay format, but you can also develop a different one.

A news hook. Thesis. Argument. 1 st point. 2 nd point. 3 rd point. Address counterarguments Op ed essay conclusion.

This Op ed is based on the article “Trump, and Great Business Ideas for America”. This is an economic review posted by Shiller Robert in the New York Times. The article mainly discuss the ideas that the new president elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump has on the nation. In essence, the people are hopeful that he will transform the nation’s economy since is a leader who has been in business and management for various years. Economists consider that this is an experiment that will prove whether the skills and techniques of a manager can be vital in enhancing the economy of a nation. Therefore, because of his success in business the Americans are expected that the economy will substantially improve. For Donald Trump, it is vital to be keen on the steps that he will take since people are expecting too much from him especially regarding economy.

Classical School

School of thoughts plays a vital role in the today’s economy. In essence, there are several ways in which the school of thoughts is applied mainly to enhance and solve economic challenges. Therefore, it is imperative to inform the members of the public the need to apply economic school of thoughts to enhance the economy. One of the major commonly use economic school of thoughts is the classical tool. The classical school of thought is regarded as the first economic school of thought that was developed by a Scottish economist Adam Smith. Hunt asserts that the main argument of the school is that the best way to enhance economy is to leave the markets alone (2). In this case, it means that the government had a minimal role to play. This means that the classical economic thought advocated for a free market that involves minimal or no rules. Thus, regarding explaining the value of the classical school, the determining factors were cost of production and scarcity. Concerning macro economy, there are self-re adjustment terms that allow the economy to automatically return to full employment.

Neoclassical School of Economics

This is a school of thought that emerged mainly as an improvement of the classical theory of economics. The school is also currently referred to as the marginal revolution. However, as an advancement of the classical school the theory left various aspects. Some of the most common aspects that were dropped include the value theory and the distribution of wealth in the society. As a result, neoclassical approach focuses on the strategies that promote effective allocation of scarce resources in the various markets. In that connection, there is a great emphasis on how various participants in the market such as the customers and producers utilize the function of utility and production. To achieve success in such markets, they must consider factors such as budgets and constraints. This is the main reason the neoclassical theory introduced the mechanism of maximizing utility and it challenge of cost minimization.

In addition to the above, the neoclassical school of thought can be defined as the theory that emphasizes the efficacy of the products and how it affects the market in terms of supply and demand. In essence, it is clear that the markets are based on the customers due to their control of the market forces such as price and demand. This is mainly because the goal of the consumer is utility maximization whereas the role of the goal of the business is to enhance profits. In that connection, there is a great emphasis on how various participants in the market such as the customers and producers utilize the function of utility and production.

The Theorist That Supports the Human Behavior School of Thought

Landreth and Colander confirm that Elton Mayo is the theorist who best supports this school of thought. Various principles are emphasized by the school of thought (10). One of the most important policies is employee motivation. By accepting diversity, managers demonstrate his management skill of motivating the employees to enhance their performance. The second principle of behavioral school of thought is leadership. This can be explained by the fact that managers can enable to adapt to internal changes swiftly. As well, the other principle of the theory is employee development. The management styled established by managers should ensure that employee development supports the people-focused strategy.

In conclusion, it is elemental to note that the economic school of thoughts may vary in one way or another. However, all these schools of thoughts such as the classical thought and the behavioral schools should be employed to enhance economic growth and development. There are various assumptions that are made in the neoclassical school of thought. One of the major assumption is that the decisions that are made are usually rational due to the availability of completed information about the product and service. The second assumption is that customers compare the available products and services in the market with the primary objective of making effective deceived based on utility. The third and most crucial assumption of the neoclassical economic school is that the primary objective of business is to maximize on profit making. On the contrary, customer’s main objective is to have improved satisfaction while using the service or product. Therefore, as the new president elect of the United States of America takes office he must ensure that the right polices are implemented to enhance economy. Otherwise, improving US economy might be a great challenge to overcome.

After developing the preferred structure for your essay, it is time to write a high-quality piece to impress readers. It might be a great idea to closely check another top op-ed essay example to learn how different components are put through.

• Develop a News Hook

Because an op ed essay is designed for the media, it is crucial to target a trending topic in the local, national, or global headlines. The first few sentences should also grab the reader’s attention, making him/her want to read more. During the just-concluded presidential elections, some topics revolving around the violence on the capitol, the American voting system, and the policy shift between outgoing President Trump and incoming President Joe Biden, would have been excellent.

• Tune Your Op Ed Essay to Match the Targeted Audience

If you read a high-rated op ed essay sample, one of the most notable things is the focus on a specific audience. For example, local print media might be targeted at providing insights on how wearing face masks affect the spread of COVID-19. So, it will be a great idea to try and understand the audience.

• Understand the Targeted Publication

As we have mentioned, op ed essays are written pieces of opinion, but they must follow the rules and guidelines of the targeted media. This means that although you might have a lengthy piece, it has to be cut to size to fit the recommended number of words for the respective media. Other attributes include a sense of style, level, image size and font.

• Back-Up Your Arguments with Facts

While it is true that you are writing a personal opinion, it is paramount to ensure it is based on facts. Once you bring out key arguments, try to incorporate data and statistics to reinforce them. Go ahead and use historical facts to bolster the case. Counterarguments can also help you to sound more professional and avoid bias.

• Use the O p Ed Essay Conclusion to Call Readers to Action

After articulating all the points in your essay, you should not leave readers hanging. Well, if you were discussing a very serious issue, be it the COVID-19 vaccine or the danger of the latest video games, the conclusion should be used to call readers to action. For example, you can ask people to go and get the vaccine, select non-violent games, speak against school bullying, or other actions.

The following op ed essay writing tips will come in handy to help you to stay focused, sharpen your skills, and craft top-notch work.

Try to make the op-ed essay as clear as possible. Even if you are working on a complex topic, it might be a good idea to ditch the complex words or explain them well when they appear in your essay. Take your time practicing how to write a good op ed essay. Particularly, it can be a good idea to check another op ed essay sample done by a professional and try crafting a better piece. Make sure to follow the guidelines for the essay you are writing strictly. These include the essay structure, number of words, style, font, and other formatting particulars. Proofread your work well. Once you are through working on your essay, make sure to proofread it well and clear all sorts of errors. You might also want to seek the assistance of expert writers when proofreading the work.

Top 30 Op Ed Topics for Essay

Now that we have looked at what is an op ed essay and tips for making it outstanding, what are some of the best topics to consider? Check out our top 60 op ed essay topics and pick the preferred option. You can use op ed essay ideas as they are or tweak a little to suit your preference.

There is nothing as enjoyable as writing a good op ed essay about a topic that you like . Here are some interesting op ed essay ideas to consider:

• Are professional athletes and actors paid too much for their work?
• Should we have a specific dress code for teachers in school?
• Nuclear weapons: Are they killing devices or global peacemakers?
• The bulk of high-level jobs are done by men. Should the government set a specific percentage of these jobs for women?
• What are the impacts of inaccurate sleep patterns?
• What factors contribute to the development of a good movie?
• Death penalty: Should it be abolished globally?
• What age should be considered appropriate for dating?
• Voting age: Should it be lowered to 11 years?

Top Op Ed essay ideas on Environment and Conservation

If you love the environment and conservation, here are some awesome op ed essay ideas.

• Use of animals in scientific research: Up to what extent is it acceptable?
• Zoos are often considered necessary, but they cannot be alternatives to natural environments.
• Are we doing enough to protect endangered animals?
• Is it impossible to address global warming?
• Facing the facts: Is it possible for the globe to entirely rely on green energy?
• Why do most governments hide their information on global warming?
• Are the benefits of electric cars worth the huge investments being directed into the industry?
• Explore the main arguments for or against keeping animals in zoos.
• What are the effects of whaling in the sea?
• Should we develop technology to bring back extinct animals, such as dinosaurs?

Education-Related Op-Ed Essay Topics

Education is one of the broad areas, meaning that identifying some good topics for your essay can be challenging. To help you out, here are some excellent topics suggestions.

• Should girls and boys be taught in separate classes?
• Imagine your geography teacher wants to take your class for a different subject and she is taking suggestions from students. What subjects should she pick? Write an essay supporting your decision.
• Has the modern generation become too dependent on computers?
• Should we replace all the textbooks with tablet computers?
• Should wealthy countries be compelled to share their wealth with poorer nations?
• Space exploration: Is it a worthy undertaking?
• Should we abolish all forms of punishment in schools?
• Using Homework in schools: Should it be abolished?
• College violence: Is it related to video games.
• Should students who are talented in sports go to school?
• Distance learning in modern education: Comparing the pros and cons.
• Students grading their teachers: Should it be allowed in schools?
• Should smartphones be allowed in elementary schools?
• If you had a chance to bring one person to a place that is so special, who would that be?

Culture Opinion Essay Opinion Essay Ideas

Here are some great cultural opinion essay topics to consider for your work.

• The bulk of 21 st -century fashion can result in serious eating disorders.
• Music and generation gap.
• Should a tax be placed on all junk to address the problem of obesity?
• If we wake up and found that the world has no rules and government, what would it be like?
• Online video and music streaming: What are the associated pros and cons?
• Anti-war culture in the 21 st century.
• Is fashion important?
• Should all companies screen their employees for mental disorders?
• Is the internet helping or destroying companies today?
• Online communications: A demonstration of how it affects physical relationships.

History Op Ed Essay Topics

Check out the leading op ed essay topics in history.

• Monarchy system in modern society: Does it have any benefits?
• The benefits of learning history
• Comparing Buddhism and Islam.
• Gender bias in the Roman Empire?
• Holocaust: How were the lessons learned used to shape modern-day Israel?
• Vietnam War: A closer look at the bias in media coverage.
• Slave Trade: Imagining a new world if the slave trade never took place.
• The distortion of Martin Luther King’s message today.
• Should the history of World War I and II be abolished to espouse a new globe?

Nursing and Psychology Op Ed Topics for Essay

If you are in nursing, medicine or psychology-related areas, here are some great easy ideas to consider:

• Why nurses and physicians should have very close cooperation.
• How effective is WHO in addressing global pandemics?
• Herbal practitioners and traditional medicine: Are they the same?
• Causes of racial bias in healthcare.
• Physical education and its role in reducing anxiety.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD): What are the best solutions?
• Nursing theorists: Are they relevant in nursing studies today?
• Legalization of cannabis use: Is it a good idea?

Time to Seek Writing Assistance

Now that we have provided a step-by-step guide to writing quality op ed essays, can you craft one? If it is still challenging, you need to keep trying, but how do you craft the op ed essay at hand? You should consider seeking essay writing help from experts.

Good custom essay firms work with professional writers in different areas and can craft some of the best pieces. Indeed, they are likely to have handled similar tasks before, and you can count on them for excellent essays. You will also love the fact that essay writing help is cheap, and your task can be completed very fast. With professionals, no writing task is too tough!

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Sample WR 120 Assignment: Op-ed

Use, or adapt, the following to structure an op-ed (or “guest essay”) assignment as an alternative genre assignment to an academic paper in WR 120 or another class.

To analyze one or more model op-eds; to argue effectively for a point or claim in the context of an op-ed, while providing evidence and considering the needs of your readers; to reflect on the similarities and differences between op-eds and academic papers in terms of argument, structure, and style.

argument-driven paper; genre; claim

Part 1: Pre-writing–Activate background knowledge and analyze the genre

• In your own words, what’s an op-ed?
• What was your previous exposure to this genre?
• What other genres beyond an academic essay is it similar to, and in what ways?
• What other genres beyond an academic essay is it different from, and in what ways?
• What is potentially interesting about writing an op-ed?
• What is potentially challenging about writing one?
• Who is the author, beyond their name? How is the author’s identity relevant to their topic and/or argument?
• What periodical published this op-ed? What might that suggest about the intended audience?
• What specific sub-topic does the op-ed address, and what is the author’s argument about this topic?
• How does the author begin (what strategies)?
• How does the author use evidence (what strategies)?
• How does the author end (what strategies)?
• How would you characterize the author’s tone, diction, and/or style? What connections are there between these elements and the author’s argument and/or audience?
• Share the op-ed you found with the entire class or a small group, and discuss your group’s op-eds together after having read or skimmed each: What struck you about these op-eds, taken together as a group? What do you notice about them as a genre?
• Discuss the background material on op-eds that you read in preparation for this assignment: What were some useful tips for writing op-eds that you and your groupmates encountered?
• Think about how you feel as you prepare to write an op-ed of your own: What is exciting about the process? What seems challenging about it? What ideas do you have for how to get started?

Part 2: Write and revise

• Write a 700-1000-word (hard limits on both ends) essay appropriate for the op-ed or “guest essay” genre.
• Address a specific aspect of our topic that is both important and timely (you might need to argue for one or both of those qualities, as they may not be obvious to your readers).
• Make a specific, unique, well-supported, and logical argument about your topic, quoting from, summarizing, and/or referring to at least one of the authors we have read and discussed this semester, in addition to any other examples, evidence, or personal experiences you wish to include. Hint: Keep track of all the sources and websites you are looking at as you think more about your topic. Some of these you might want to link to from the text of your op-ed.
• Use key features of the op-ed genre that we have discussed in class, including a strong opening, short and punchy paragraphing, an acknowledgment of alternative points of view, and a “should” statement near the end of your essay.
• Consider your intended audience when making rhetorical decisions, such as about how much background information to include, what kind of counter-arguments to address, or what tone and what kind of diction to use.
• Share your paper in storyboard and/or draft form with your classmates , discussing each other’s work in light of what you know about the op-ed genre and how effectively each essay communicates its point to its audience.
• Revise your essay, working on your headline and author “blurb” and your acknowledgment of sources ( fact-checking memo ) as you go.

Part 3: Final reflections–Reflect and transfer skills

• Look back at the process of writing your op-ed. Before you started writing it, what did you think would be hardest or most challenging about it, and why? How did your final experience match up to your expectations? What unanticipated challenges did you run into while writing/revising your op-eds, and how did you handle these?
• Think about what the most satisfying thing about writing your op-ed was, and why. What worked well in the final version of your essay, and how did you get to this point?
• Reflect on what it was like to write something other than an academic paper for this assignment. Would you like to write more op-eds, or other alternate genres (i.e., things other than standard academic papers)? Why or why not? What, in your opinion, are the two most important differences between op-eds and academic essays, and how did those differences affect your process of writing the op-ed?
• Consider that you will need to transition back to writing more academic papers in other classes: What two or more things did you work on in the process of writing your op-ed that can help you write stronger academic papers, and why? What strategy or tip that you used on the op-ed assignment is something that also works (or could work) for an academic paper?
• Write up your responses to these questions, and either turn them in with the final version of your op-ed or discuss them in small groups, as your instructor directs.

Additional Reading for Students

You may also want to ask students to review the submission requirements and process at The New York Times , The Los Angeles Times , or another publication. Note that some publications, such as The Guardian , do not accept submissions of completed pieces, but instead desire shorter “pitch” submissions; their requirements for pitches may also be useful to students and may form an additional scaffolding assignment along the way.

Additional useful links for background on the genre:

• Op-ed Writing: Tips and Tricks (The Op-ed Project)
• Writing Effective Op-eds (Duke)
• How to Write an Op-ed or Column (Harvard Kennedy School)
• A Guide to Op-eds and Original Content (BU Public Relations)
• Op-ed Template (California Medical Association, UCSF)

Downloadable copies here:

• Assignment sheet (above)
• Peer review sheet for drafts
• Author “blurb” activity
• Fact-checking memo directions and example

An opinion essay

Learn how to write an opinion essay.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

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Some people think that some types of criminals should not go to prison. Instead they should do unpaid work in the community. To what extent do you agree?

Owing to the great variety of crimes that can be punishable by prison, some people argue that not all criminals are the same and it would therefore be more appropriate to give certain criminals community service instead. I agree that in some cases, prison may not be the best solution and community service would probably have more benefits.

One justification given for prisons is to keep society safe by removing criminals from the outside world. So the first thing to consider is if someone who has broken the law is a danger to other people. In the case of violent crime, there is an argument to keep the perpetrator away from society. However, burglary or possession of drugs, for example, does not involve violence against other people so the criminal does not present a direct danger to anyone in the community. Keeping these types of criminals in prison is expensive for the taxpayer and does not appear to be an effective punishment as they often commit the same crime again when they come out of prison.

Personally, I also believe punishments should reform people so they do not reoffend. A further reason not to put these people in prison is that they may mix with more dangerous and violent criminals, potentially committing a worse crime when they are released. By keeping them in the community, helping others, they not only learn new skills, but they could also develop more empathy and care towards others. If this occurs, society can only benefit.

Critics of this more rehabilitative approach to crime believe that justice should be harsh in order to deter people from committing similar crimes and that community service could be less likely to have that effect. However, there is very little evidence to suggest that long prison sentences deter criminals.

In conclusion, putting criminals who are not a danger to society in prison is expensive and, in my opinion, ineffective, both as a deterrent and as a form of rehabilitation. Community service for non-violent crimes benefits both society and the offender. That said, it would be useful to have more data to work out whether community service or prison is more likely to stop someone reoffending. I strongly believe that decisions on how best to deal with criminals should be based on evidence of what actually works.

• Introduce your essay by restating the question in your own words.
• If the essay asks you to what extent do you agree?,  make your opinion clear throughout. You can either agree, partially agree or disagree with the statement, explaining and justifying your opinion.
• Introduction
• The first reason why you agree/disagree
• The second reason why you agree/disagree
• The third reason why you agree/disagree (if you have one)
• Use phrases to organise and link your ideas, e.g. Owing to … , One justification for … , The first thing to consider is … , A further reason … , In conclusion ... .
• If you do not have solid evidence for your ideas, use modal verbs such as might , may or could  (e.g. they could  develop more empathy and care ) or other tentative phrases (e.g. it does not appear to be an effective punishment ).
• Conclude by restating your opinion and summarising your two or three main arguments.

Do you agree that community service is better than prison for some crimes?

Language level

Good day Sir/Madam,

I would like to ask about the expression ‘So the first thing is to…’. In academic and formal writing, should I avoid using ‘thing’ or ‘so’ or is it still fine? Thanks a lot for taking your time to read this. Hope to hear from you.

Your sincerely, Kimmie

• Log in or register to post comments

Hi kimmie,

Thanks for your question. In academic and formal writing, there is a general preference for precision over vagueness, so generally speaking it's better to avoid this usage of  so  and  thing  and use more precise and academic terms when they are available (e.g. Therefore, the first factor/issue to consider is ... ).

However, if you search academic writing, you will find writers do use  thing  sometimes, especially in fixed phrases (e.g.  the first thing /   the same thing ) or technical terms ( e.g. the Internet of Things ). Some writers might also use more general terms first before moving onto more precise terms.

(Note: The essay on the page above is in a somewhat formal style but not very formal.)

I hope that helps.

LearnEnglish team

Hi Jonathan

This is immensely valuable for me. Thank you so much for your swift response. Hope you have a nice day.

In my country it is often debated whether community services are better than prison for certain crimes. I think it's pretty obvious that it should be an option for less important faults. However, sometimes it happens that a judge decides to grant this benefit to some type of powerful criminals who cause more significant damage to society than others who do not have the same possibility, such as financial criminals or corrupt government agents. In my opinion, these types of sentences can have a bad impact on people, since they see that these behaviors are not severely punished and are somehow protected by the law. In conclusion, I agree that certain types of crimes should avoid prison, but I believe that before implementing it, the society must agree on which crimes will be able to enjoy this possibility to ensure that justice is fair for all.

please approve for testing

Hello aaron,

We check all comments before publishing them, which is why it's taken some time for your comment to be published.

Normally we delete a comment like this -- and we deleted the other one you made -- but have let this one through so you can see that it works. 

We are a small team, so it can sometimes be several hours before comments are published -- just wanted to tell you for the future.

We look forward to hearing more from you!

All the best, Kirk LearnEnglish team

The subject of how criminals should be punished is complicated, there are a lot of different opinions defending their points of view. There are two main ideas the first is arresting all the offenders, and the second idea is separating those not dangerous to society, and sending them to work in the community. In my opinion, I agree with the second idea, because there are many expenses with the prisons and the prisoners, so if lessen the population in this environment the conditions and the quality could be better than if there were overpopulation, avoiding justice being done right. Furthermore, these people aren't violent and dangerous to others, so with bad company in the prison, they might become bad people too. In this case, it's an awful idea to mix a different kind of person. Therefore, it's an excellent suggestion to oblige these people to do work in society, but with supervision in the right way and strictly.

On account of the differences between several types of crimes, not all criminals should be sent to prison. It is suggested that giving certain offenders community service would be more appropriate than just jailing them.

Honestly, I completely agree that the right way to protect people from harm is to imprison criminals who conduct violent crimes that endanger human physical health. Nevertheless, this penalty may be ineffective with offenders who have administrative guilts or non-violent offenses. Since they often commit the same crime after getting out of prison, this is just a temporary punishment to ensure the security of citizens for a certain period. The nature of the problem is these crimes originate from greed and bad habits which lead to their deviant behaviors but have not yet resulted in such severe consequences that affect human life.

From my perspective, the government would rather reform these types of offenders than deter them as a kind of punishment. It is better to have an alternative that perceptively impacts these people’s awareness which is to make them do community service. Jailing these criminals just increases their hatred and develops antisocial personality. By keeping and controlling them in a community, besides learning new skills, they amend their bad manner as well as develop more empathy and care towards others.

Given these points, the application of punishment should be based on the nature of each specific crime. Prisons should only be used for perpetrators committing directly dangerous crimes to people's lives. Making non-violent criminals do community service is more of a practical way to optimize tax wasted for prisons as well as give them a chance to fix their wrong behaviors.

There are several types of crimes and for each of them, a different sentence is dictated. A paramount question to be considered is whether community servers are more accurate than prisons for some crimes.

To begin with, community servers would help and support criminals through specialized psychologists. Not only would community servers help and support them, but also it would give them jobs to help them give the society back a contribution in return.

In addition, prisons only contribute to worsening the situation owing to the fact that criminals will commit crimes again. The key to excellent behavior is learning. If they learn suitable habits, they will adapt to society and help it.

Furthermore, it is necessary to have empathy with criminals and not judge them because their hate increases when they are condemned in prison. A further reason for this is that hate feeds hate. Nevertheless, some criminals must be in jail due to their danger on the streets. It is difficult to know that a person who kills someone else, is going to change even if he/she receives help from psychologists.

In contrast, most of society believes that all criminals should be in prison. However, prisons must be all comfortable like a hotel in order to bring for the prisoners a place to recover themselves. The reason why they must live in appropriate conditions is due to his mental health. For instance, in Norway, prisons are like hotels because the government considers that criminals need a second chance to live in a community

To conclude, it would be suitable for all criminals to live in accurate prisons in order to recover themselves. Despite the cost that kind of prisons are supposed to take, they are worth paying for them. In my opinion, safety is priceless and is more important than the cost.

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How to Write an Impactful Op-Ed

by The Writing Workshop | Feb 8, 2024 | Persuasive Writing

What is an op-ed?

An op-ed goes by many names—an editorial, opinion piece, commentary, page op, etc.—but it is, in essence, a piece of writing within the public view that expresses an informed opinion focused on a specific topic or problem. Op-eds are fairly new as a writing style, first coming to prominence in the early 1900s as a way to attract the public back to print news in the age of radio. Today, they serve a similar niche; newspapers face a budget crisis as readership is at an all-time low, and op-eds offer a low-cost solution to providing daily content that engages readers in a way that more traditional journalism simply can’t.

The modern op-ed writer is not restricted by occupation either; professors, politicians, researchers, and professionals use them to take control of the narrative on a given topic rather than entrusting social media and search algorithms to do the job. There is also a rising trend in the sciences to compliment research with op-eds to address limitations in their work that can lead to pervasive misinterpretations.

For example, in early 2023, Cochrane, an influential organization that collects databases and reviews research, published an ambiguously worded review of RCT studies on masking and hand washing that led to gross misinterpretations of the study’s conclusions, even by one of its authors . Researchers and epidemiologists, including the editor in chief at Cochrane , were quick to point out that the study did not come to a conclusion due to a lack of evidence alongside glaring inadequacies in the review . Given the mistrust in science that has permeated from Covid-19 misinformation, academics continue to dispel the significance of the article months after its original publication .

Why does this matter? Well, just like in research writing, where you are one piece of a larger puzzle contributing to the cannon of knowledge on a given topic, op-ed writing is about making a small yet meaningful contribution to this cannon using persuasion. Unfortunately, many of the tools used to purvey a greater understanding can also be used to distort and mislead. While there is certainly something to be said of the severity and degree to which misinformation impacts the public in a digital age (in an op-ed, perhaps?), it is just an amplification of the truth’s dependence on the status quo; your job as an op-ed writer is to add nuance to widely held assumptions by offering alternative opinions, evidence, and interpretations.

So where do you begin? Well for one, you need some expertise on the topic you are writing about; persuading your audience to believe something you don’t understand yourself would be both unethical and a poor reflection of your abilities. You will also need to understand who you are writing to and what they care about, so let’s start there!

Identifying your audience

Good writing always has an audience, but writing to a large group of folks, each with their own unique needs and beliefs, can often be difficult. Your job in an op-ed is to speak to the aligned values and attitudes of your audience.

• Do you speak to what is most important to your audience?
• Is there a clear benefit to reading your piece?
• Do you present information in a way that is new and interesting to the audience?
• Does your audience have biases or preconceptions about the issue? Can you manage them?
• How do you want your audience to react to this piece?
• Is the language appropriate?

Successful op-eds also capitalize on what the audience may know (or not) about the topic.

• What does your audience already know about the topic?
• Is there a varying level of knowledge or familiarity with your topic?
• Does your audience “know” because they trust that someone does?
• What is new to your audience?
• Do you present new information in a way that is easy to understand?
• Why does your audience not know this information?

All writers struggle to understand their audiences, but for op-eds, it’s a little easier. Given the popularity of op-eds in most US newspapers, you can look to what other writers do in their pieces to engage readers—just remember that the point of an op-ed is to challenge a prominent belief or interpretation, and if you write only to those who share your views, you will lose the hearts and minds of those open to a critical dialogue on the topic.

For more on understanding your reader’s unique needs, check out our post below!

Choosing a role

Everyone from professional journalists to professors and politicians—including the president—writes op-eds. There are plenty of reasons someone would be compelled to write an op-ed, but we think it’s useful to divide them into three distinct roles, listed below, that a policy professional will find themselves in at one time or another.

The Witness

The Witness offers a firsthand account of the problem, whether they experienced it themselves or witnessed it in action. Witnesses focus on the material and human costs, but the true power of their opinion lies in their testimony, often speaking truth to power and serving up a distinctly human-centered narrative of what’s going on. Witnesses should focus on creating a strong narrative that is representative of the problem and conveys the cost of ignoring it.

The Practitioner

The Practitioner occupies an important space between witness and expert. The practitioner experiences the problem secondhand—through aid or non-profit work, for example—but uses their insider knowledge to further educate their audience on its root causes, often moving from problem identification to a solutions-focused narrative. Practitioners are challenged to create short, effective narratives followed by evidence-based arguments to contextualize their observations; they should lean into their role and the credibility it provides but be cautious in appealing to themselves as an authority in place of evidence.

The Expert can be both a witness and/or practitioner (a practicing epidemiologist, for example), but their power lies in their extensive knowledge of the problem and the landscape in which it occurs. While it may seem easy for the experts, they are plagued with the “curse of knowledge” and challenged to write about complex ideas in way that an average reader will understand. Experts should lean into their extensive knowledge but be careful in presenting too many contingencies, caveats, and abstractions. Experts tend to jump around in their op-eds, which can often disorient a reader, so having a second set of eyes that represents their intended audience will always be helpful.

Once you’ve identified where you fall within this spectrum, it’s time to begin developing your argument.

The nuts and bolts of an op-ed

Structurally, an op-ed can be somewhat free-form, and there will be a lot of variation between different schools of writers (i.e. researchers, academics, journalists, activists, etc.), but a deductive structure is always a great starting point, even if you alter it after your essentials are in place. To start, focus on creating adequate context for your argument in the first paragraph—making sure to provide your reader with the essentials—and then move on to crafting a strong connection between that background information and your argument in the second paragraph. From there, go point by point, keeping in mind that journalists use line breaks more often than academic writers, dividing each piece of evidence along with its analysis into individual paragraphs rather than adjoining them to their topic sentence. For more on deductive structure, read our post below!

Every op-ed should have a clear purpose that can be intuited in the first few paragraphs. However, the central claim of an op-ed often differs from an academic thesis in that it requires some action on your reader’s part. You may want them to consider, reconsider, deny, approve, march, vote, or a whole host of other activities, but your argument should always move toward a call to action. Aside from being persuasive, your piece should also:

Those writing for monthly publications will have a little more flexibility here, but your central claim should have some degree of relation to what is going on right now . Maybe it’s that the problem has finally reached its tipping point, or that some event has made it front and center in the public eye, but whatever it is, it should activate existing knowledge in your audience. Regularly reading the news will be essential to your success in the op-ed space as readers are simply uninterested in rehashing the issues of the past or predictions of the future unless they are pertinent today.

Start with a leading sentence

Traditional journalists often write a setting sentence to start their feature pieces (i.e. “John Doe sits on his front porch looking at his latest bill from the doctor.”), but you have much more flexibility in an op-ed. The goal in your leading sentence should be to entice your audience into reading your piece while providing them with a general sense of the topic or problem. Check out a few examples below (UChicago students have unlimited access to the New York Times via the library page).

• The air pollution in Emma Lockridge’s community in Detroit was often so bad, she had to wear a surgical mask inside her house.
• Tyler Parish thinks of himself as “the last dinosaur.”
• What comes to mind when you think of a mom-and-pop small business: A hardware store? A diner? A family-run clothing store or small-scale supermarket?

Get to the point

Timing is everything in an op-ed. If you present your case for change too early, the reader might not have the background knowledge they need to understand or support it; however, if you wait too long, they may lose interest. Depending on your topic, your point—one main argument per piece being the standard—may come sooner or later, but it should always be clearly stated by the halfway mark.

In this recent piece by Peter Coy on commercial real estate in the New York Times , notice how quickly the author presents his point. He uses the first paragraph to contextualize new information that will be familiar to the audience while attaching the issue to the larger concern of a potential banking crisis, then uses the second paragraph to present his argument (skepticism in the Fed’s approach to inflation as it pertains to commercial real estate). The New York Times has covered domestic inflation on a daily basis, so Coy is both capitalizing on this existing knowledge while encouraging the reader to further invest by presenting nuance and evidence for it. While this piece is heavier on the jargon than we would recommend, it is to be expected when targeting a more specific group.

In contrast, this piece on antitrust law by the editorial board of the Washington Post uses the first few paragraphs to explain a more complex issue that the reader may not be familiar with given the current direction of the FTC. Their main claim—that this is a classic example of antitrust enforcement—comes later because readers may not understand how Google’s ad stack functions nor the alleged monopolistic behavior within that space.

Create a realistic call to action

While a policy maker, organization, or politician may be the one who implements change, be sure to include your audience in the call to action as they will be essential in pushing your decision-maker to action. For example, you might want a senator to support a bill that you think will institute change; in this case, you should think of the voters in their district and how you can make the value of your argument resonate with them through a boycott, petition, or other activist work. 

Adding counterpoints to increase credibility

Sometimes it helps to present an argument against your own, which can earn credibility from a skeptical audience or consideration from one that is potentially hostile. A counterpoint assures readers that you’ve considered both sides and wrestled with discordant data or situations that don’t neatly fit the narrative thus far. Basic and fair counterpoints rhetorically position you to make your strongest case before the close. Avoid choosing a weak or widely discredited claim as a counterpoint—often referred to as a “strawman” argument—and instead focus on summarizing the most prominent or pervasive criticism of your main point.

The rebuttal, on the other hand, refutes the counterpoint while introducing a subclaim that directly addresses it. In the case that a previous claim already addresses the counterpoint, do not repeat it verbatim; instead, expand on that point’s scope with additional analysis or evidence to accommodate the counterpoint.

Sign posting language will be a useful tool in writing a compelling and concise counterargument, so make use of language like:

• Some might argue that . . . However . . .
• While it can be said that . . .
• There is a widely held belief that . . .  but . . .

Counterarguments (the counterpoint plus the rebuttal) should come at the end of your piece, right before the conclusion. If your piece contains a call to action, make sure to set yourself up for success in your counterargument (a good sign post to add in this case is “that is why . . .”).

Counterarguments can also be the focus of an op-ed when a belief about a given topic has become fallacious or dangerous to public discourse—a phenomena all too common in our current age. Politicians will often use these longform critiques to respond to opponents during election cycles, but in light of controversial bills and rulings within the United States, many have stepped up to the soapbox to dispel common myths and misinformation about a whole host of issues.

We think a recent op-ed on the value of the humanities in higher education by Professor John Keck did this exceptionally. Notice how he uses his first paragraph to build context through timeliness, capitalizing on the recent comments surrounding Texas’s HCR 64, an immigration bill, and their unwarranted criticism of higher education. As he progresses through his critique, he gradually reorients his reader to his home state and the work that he does there, navigating his role of the expert while utilizing the tools of the practitioner to give his narrative a distinctly human focus.

Using a behavioral framework to better persuade your audience

Knowing your target audience’s priorities, values, and concerns will help you craft an argument that is most likely to resonate with them. To better analyze how a given policy narrative might strike our potential readers, we can use insights from social-psychological theories like the Moral Foundations Theory, which was developed by Jonathan Haidt and colleagues to explain how individuals’ moral values are shaped by their cultural, social, and evolutionary contexts. Moral Foundations Theory won’t reveal exactly how your audience will react to your argument for change, but no theory can. At the Writing Workshop, we like to think of these social-psychological theories as additional tools in your kit to help you make quicker and better informed decisions about the arguments, evidence, and language you use within your piece rather than empirical frameworks you can apply with certainty.

If you are interested in acquiring other tools to help you become more persuasive, we recommend checking out the work of Paul Slovic and Daniel Kahneman as well. For further reading on Moral Foundations Theory, check out our post below:

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Developed in collaboration with Dr. Dan Pomeroy, manager of MIT’s International Policy Lab .

Criteria for success

A successful op-ed…

• Provides a strong, provocative opinion
• Focuses on a clear, single issue
• Is both important and timely
• Supplies facts and anecdotes that support the main message
• Avoids unnecessary technical jargon
• Leaves the reader a memorable take-away message

Structure diagram

Identify your purpose.

The opinion pages in newspapers and magazines (and their equivalent in online outlets) are often among the best-read sections of a publication. As such, writing an opinion piece is an opportunity to reach a massive audience and influence the conversation of the general public. Further, decision-makers also see these opinions; politicians and their staff track opinion editorials, as do executives and higher-ups at companies, nonprofits, and think tanks. Thus, an op-ed provides two mechanisms for influencing public policy: indirectly by placing an issue for the public to consider, and directly by appealing to these decision-makers.

As a researcher at MIT, you’re an expert in your field at a highly respected institution. You’re a prime candidate to write an op-ed, particularly on topics that influence or are influenced by your research projects, program, institution, field – or, importantly, your professional and personal experiences. Newspaper and magazine editors want strong opinion pieces from experts whom their readers will consider both highly credible and passionate about a topic. And you want to write an op-ed because it can magnify the societal impact of your work and field.

Analyze your audience

The readership of news outlets varies significantly, e.g., the NY Times demographic is quite different than that of the Kansas City Star. To even get past the paper’s editor, your piece needs to cover a topic that’s important to the paper’s readers. Then to be effective, you need to connect with those readers (or at least the ones important to your strategic goal). You can appeal to their values, ethics, emotions, etc.

For example, if you’re writing an op-ed advocating for science funding and targeting a paper with a conservative audience, you can appeal to their readers’ values and ethics by focusing on how scientific research benefits their local industries. As another example, if you’re writing an op-ed on the importance of net neutrality, you can immediately appeal to your readers’ emotions by reminding them how infuriating it can be to deal with internet service providers.

Plan your writing process

Prior to starting the writing process, consider the following questions that will help direct the content and style of your op-ed.

Show your passion with descriptive language and narrative.

Don’t use an academic argument: Regulations to reduce mercury are needed to protect tribal populations because of higher fish intake from subsistence fishing and unique cultural practices.

Do use a compelling story: In the rainy Pacific Northwest, tribal populations spend much of their time on boats hunting swordfish, shark, and king mackerel to feed their families and for use in cultural rituals. Unfortunately, mercury levels in these fish are putting the health and safety of their community in serious jeopardy. The federal government needs to take vulnerable populations like this into account when developing mercury regulations.

Use active voice (i.e. active verbs).

Active: This experience convinced me that we need to support science.

Passive: I was convinced by this experience that we need to support science.

Turn numbers or statistics into specific and easy-to-understand references or examples.

Difficult to understand: Since the pre-vaccination era, the estimated annual morbidity rate in the U.S. decreased from 530,000 to 70.

Easy to understand: Thanks to vaccines, the measles virus that used to infect hundreds of thousands of Americans each year is now virtually eliminated.

Avoid jargon and acronyms

Jargon-filled: Nonintrusive load monitors can disaggregate total energy use by appliance.

Jargon-less: Advanced smart meters can tell you how much energy each of your appliances use.

Avoid clichés – they dilute your message

Examples:  “It’s not rocket science,” “is the holy grail,” “avoid like the plague”

Submitting Your Piece

Prior to submitting your piece, make sure the op-ed meets your target paper’s formatting requirements (word length, etc.) and read their submission instructions. As a general rule, only submit your op-ed to one publication at a time. If your piece is extremely timely, you can provide a time limit for consideration in your cover letter, after which you plan to submit the op-ed to another paper.

When submitting, the body of the email should contain a succinct paragraph establishing why the issue is important, why their readers care, and why your expertise and/or experiences qualify you to write this piece. After this paragraph, provide a brief (1-3 sentences) bio, your contact information (phone number, email address, and mailing address), and the wordcount of the piece (both the full length and length including the title and bio).

An example pitch is provided below.

After submitting, follow-up with a phone call to the editor. Be prepared to pitch it directly as they may have missed the email. Leave a message if he or she does not answer. Do not incessantly hound them, but it is ok to send follow up emails or phone calls if you have not heard back after a couple days.

If you do not hear back from the editor in 10 days or your op-ed is rejected outright, try another paper, or you can shorten it and resubmit your piece as a letter to the editor (might be a different editor). While shorter, letters are still very visible.

Example Pitch

I’d like to submit an opinion piece on the March for Science happening next Saturday 4/22.

I am a CT native, PhD physicist, and currently manage Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s International Policy Lab. The goal of this piece is to explain why, as a scientist, I am joining the March for Science, how science impacts CT, and to urge others to join. I am hoping it can be placed this weekend or sometime next week, just ahead of the March.

The piece is exclusive at 641 text/691 with title and bio notes. Happy to make any needed edits.

Home address: XXX Phone: YYY

Thank you for your consideration,

-Dan [op-ed pasted below and attached]

Further Resources

• Writing an Op-Ed – From the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), this article provides key points to consider when writing an op-ed as well as three examples of science focused op-eds.  The article is a part of their larger Communication Toolkit provided under the AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science & Technology Program.
• Op-Ed Writing: It’s OK to Argue for Something by Brooke Smith & Sarah Sunu from COMPASS.  In addition to providing tips and resources for writing op-eds, the authors also link to several scientist-authored op-eds featuring a wide variety of arguments.
• Ten Steps to Writing an Op-Ed by Joanne Omang, free-lance writer and former Washington Post reporter. Provides insight into the necessary components of an op-ed from an editor’s perspective along with her “ten steps” you should consider prior to writing your op-ed.
• Op-Ed and You by Trish Hall, Senior Editor, New York Times. Provides an editor’s perspective on “what makes the cut” out of the “flood” of op-eds submitted to the New York Times every day.
• Writing Op-Eds – From the Union of Concerned Scientists, this article provides information on the basic structure of op-eds and gives concrete tips towards optimizing your message and improving your chances of having your piece placed.
• The Op-Ed Project – Started as a social venture aiming to increase the number of op-eds from women and other underrepresented experts. The website provides tips for writing an op-ed , guidelines for pitching your op-ed to an editor , and information on op-ed submittals to leading news publications .

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

Marcel Bruchez on the March for Science (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) 117 KB

Annotated Example 2

Eric Lander and Eric Schmidt on investing in scientific research (Washington Post) 103 KB

Annotated Example 3

Maria T. Zuber on coal emissions (Washington Post) 100 KB

Opinion Writing: a Guide to Writing a Successful Essay Easily

An opinion essay requires students to write their thoughts regarding a subject matter. Relevant examples and explanations back their point of view. Before starting an opinion paper, it is important to study the definition, topics, requirements, and structure. Referring to examples is also highly useful. Perhaps you need help with our admission essay writing service ? Take a look at this guide from our dissertation writing service to learn how to write an opinion essay like an expert.

What Is an Opinion Essay

A common question among students is: ‘What is an Opinion Essay?' It is an assignment that contains questions that allow students to share their point-of-view on a subject matter. Students should express their thoughts precisely while providing opinions on the issue related to the field within reasonable logic. Some opinion essays type require references to back the writer's claims.

Opinion writing involves using a student's personal point-of-view, which is segregated into a point. It is backed by examples and explanations. The paper addresses the audience directly by stating ‘Dear Readers' or the equivalent. The introduction involves a reference to a speech, book, or play. This is normally followed by a rhetorical question like ‘is the pope Catholic?' or something along those lines.

What Kind of Student Faces an Opinion Essay

Non-native English-speaking students enrolled in the International English Language Testing System by the British Council & Cambridge Assessment English are tasked with learning how to write the opinion essays. This can be high-school or college students. It is designed to enhance the level of English among students. It enables them to express their thoughts and opinions while writing good opinion essay in English.

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What Are the Requirements of an Opinion Essay?

Avoid Going Off-Topic: Always write an opinion essay within relevance to answer the assigned question. This is also known as ‘beating around the bush' and should not be included in any opinion paragraph as it may lower your grade.

Indent the First Paragraph: With most academic papers, opinion writing is not different. Therefore, it contains the rule of indenting the first line of the introduction.

A Well-Thought Thesis: The full thesis statement is a brief description of the opinion essay. It determines the rest of the paper. Include all the information that you wish to include in the body paragraphs

The Use of Formal Languages: Although it is okay to write informally, keep a wide range of professional and formal words. This includes: ‘Furthermore,' ‘As Stated By,' ‘However', & ‘Thus'.

Avoid Internet Slang: In the opinion paper, avoid writing using slang words. Don'tDon't include words like ‘LOL', ‘OMG', ‘LMAO', etc.

The Use of First Person Language (Optional): For the reason of providing personal thought, it is acceptable to write your personal opinion essay in the first person.

Avoid Informal Punctuation: Although the requirements allow custom essay for the first-person language, they do not permit informal punctuation. This includes dashes, exclamation marks, and emojis.

Avoid Including Contradictions: Always make sure all spelling and grammar is correct.

We also recommend reading about types of sentences with examples .

Opinion Essay Topics

Before learning about the structure, choosing from a wide range of opinion essay topics is important. Picking an essay theme is something that can be done very simply. Choosing an excellent opinion essay topic that you are interested in or have a passion for is advisable. Otherwise, you may find the writing process boring. This also ensures that your paper will be both effective and well-written.

• Do sports differ from ordinary board games?
• Is using animals in circus performances immoral?
• Why should we be honest with our peers?
• Should all humans be entitled to a 4-day workweek?
• Should all humans become vegetarians?
• Does a CEO earn too much?
• Should teens be barred from having sleepovers?
• Should everyone vote for their leader?
• The Pros & Cons of Day-Light Saving Hours.
• What are the most energy-efficient and safest cars of X year?

Opinion Essay Structure

When it comes to opinion paragraphs, students may struggle with the opinion essay format. The standard five-paragraph-essay structure usually works well for opinion essays. Figuring out what one is supposed to include in each section may be difficult for beginners. This is why following the opinion essay structure is something all beginners should do, for their own revision before writing the entire essay.

You might also be interested in getting more information about: 5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY

Opinion essay introduction

• Address the audience directly, and state the subject matter.
• Reference a speech, poem, book, or play.
• Include the author's name and date of publication in brackets.
• 1 or 2 sentences to make up a short description.
• 1 or 2 summarizing sentences of the entire paper.
• 1 sentence that links to the first body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 1

• Supporting arguments
• Explanation
• A linking sentence to the second body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 2

• Supporting argument
• A linking sentence to the third body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 3

• A linking sentence to the conclusion.

Conclusion paragraph

• Summary of the entire paper
• A conclusive sentence (the bigger picture in conclusion)

If you need some help, leave us a message ' write my essay cheap ' and we'll help.

Opinion Essay Examples

Do you need something for reference? Reading opinion essay examples can expand your knowledge of this style of writing, as you get to see exactly how this form of an essay is written. Take a look at our samples to get an insight into this form of academic writing.

Over the past, American popular culture has been strong in creating racial stereotypes. Images displayed through television, music, and the internet have an impact on how individuals behave and what individuals believe. People find their identities and belief systems from popular culture. Evidently, I believe that American pop culture has created racial stereotypes that predominantly affect other ethnic minorities. Analyzing the history of America reveals that African Americans have always had a problem defining themselves as Americans ever since the era of slavery. AfricanAmericans have always had a hard time being integrated into American culture. The result is that African Americans have been subjected to ridicule and shame. American pop culture has compounded the problem by enhancing the negative stereotypes ofAfrican American. In theatre, film, and music, African Americans have been associated with vices such as murder, theft, and violence.

The family systems theory has a significant revelation on family relations. I firmly agree that to understand a particular family or a member, they should be around other family members. The emotional connection among different family members may create functional or dysfunctional coexistence, which is not easy to identify when an individual is further from the other members. Taking an example of the extended family, the relationship between the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law may be tense, but once they are outside the family, they can pretend to have a good relationship. Therefore, I agree with the theory that the existing emotional attachment and developed culture in the family is distinctively understood when the family is together.

Opinion writing is a form of academic paper that asks students to include their thoughts on a particular topic. This is then backed by a logical explanation and examples. Becoming more knowledgeable is a practical way to successfully learn how to write an opinion paper. Before writing anything, it is essential to refer to important information. That includes the definition, topics, opinion writing examples, and requirements. This is what turns amateur writers into master writers.

Feeling like you need some assistance with your essay? No matter what kind of writer you need, opinion or persuasive essay writer , our team consists of experts in all fields. Our college essay writing service helps those students who need an extra push when it comes to their assignments.

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Essay Writing as a Tool for Self-Reflection and Personal Growth

T raditionally, essay writing was seen as an academic exercise, but not anymore. An essay is a piece of writing that is written to convince someone of something or to inform the reader about a particular topic. As students write essays, they introspect and learn at the same time. They understand that the essay writing process is not just about forming arguments or persuading readers; it is also a powerful mechanism for self-discovery. By articulating thoughts and emotions on paper, you better understand your perspectives and experiences.

Writing essays encourages writers to confront their inner thoughts, beliefs, and values. This confrontation is not always comfortable. Many of you already know this fact. However, the process is invariably enlightening. Through the structured thinking that essay writing demands, individuals can explore and organize their thoughts in ways other forms of reflection might not allow.

This process often leads to a deeper understanding of oneself. And not just that; it’s crucial for personal development. A 2019 study found that expressive writing has been shown to improve emotional and physiological health. Besides, the iterative nature of writing, that is, drafting, revising, and refining, mirrors the iterative process of personal growth. What does this premise mean? Well, self-awareness leads to new insights, which then lead to further questions and exploration.

But not everyone can write a compelling essay. Even the most talented writers can struggle with some topics. However, did you know that professional essay writers can help you with your paper? These experts specialize in specific disciplines and can provide subject-specific, content-savvy papers that surpass your expectations. And if you are not very conversant with writing an essay, rest assured that they will convince you or be adequately informed.

All in all, an essay must include several important components to make it flow logically. Its main parts (or sections) are the introduction, body, and conclusion. In a standard short essay, five paragraphs can provide the reader with enough information in a short space. However, more than five paragraphs must be present for a research paper or dissertation to not overwhelm the reader with too much information in one section.

Moreover, essay writing is a tool for emotional intelligence. Yes, you read that right. It offers a safe space for writers to express and manage their feelings. You often find clarity and a sense of relief as you translate complex emotions into words. The reflective practice of writing helps individuals cope with past experiences and prepares them for future challenges by building resilience and adaptability. Thus, the benefits of essay writing are vast. The following is a list of how essay writing is a tool for self-reflection and personal growth.

How Essay Writing is a Tool for Self-Reflection and Personal Growth

Essay writing can be the bridge between internal exploration and external expression. But how so? This practice allows individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, translating introspection into tangible form. As you articulate your experiences and viewpoints, you engage in a dialogue with yourself, which fosters emotional growth.

• Enhances self-awareness : As previously mentioned, writing essays requires self-examination, which can significantly increase self-awareness. When you choose topics that resonate personally, you’re prompted to reflect on your beliefs, behaviors, and motivations. This process helps you understand yourself, highlights areas for improvement, and reaffirms your core values.
• Cultivates empathy : A recent study on the importance of writing practice showed statistically significant increases in various aspects of empathy, such as reasoning, including multiple perspectives, expressing emotion, and proposals for action, and statistically significant increases in empathy as a latent construct. When crafting essays, writers often explore different perspectives and consider alternative viewpoints. This exercise can cultivate empathy, as it encourages them to understand and articulate feelings and situations from other people’s points of view.
• Promotes critical thinking : Like any other form of academic writing, essay writing compels students to think critically about their experiences and the world around them. But the question is: how so? It involves analyzing one’s thoughts and questioning existing beliefs. This process can lead to new insights and a more informed perspective. Besides, critical examination helps you develop a more mature understanding of complex situations.
• Improves communication skills : Strong writing skills contribute to effective communication. Regular essay writing hones one’s ability to convey thoughts clearly and effectively. In fact, this point is scientifically proven. Essay writing helps individuals learn how to express their ideas in a structured, coherent, and persuasive manner.
• Facilitates emotional healing : We cannot emphasize this point enough. Writing about personal experiences, especially traumatic ones, can be therapeutic. Yes, you read that right. Putting emotions into words helps people process and make sense of their experiences.
• Encourages mindfulness : Writing promotes mindfulness, or present-moment awareness, and its associated qualities of calm/relaxation, nonjudgment, and intentionality. The focus required in essay writing can promote mindfulness. By concentrating on the present moment and the task of articulating thoughts, you can experience a calming effect, reducing anxiety and enhancing your overall mental health.
• Strengthens problem-solving abilities : Students’ problem-solving skill is heavily influenced by the learning process in the classroom. Essays often explore solutions to problems. They can involve real-world problems that trigger learning and optimize the power of problems to incorporate key learning processes. This aspect requires writers to think strategically about possible solutions, weighing pros and cons and considering outcomes.

Improve Your Writing Skills

For students, most of your assessments are done through writing. You will be asked to write essays for assignments and exams in most study areas. Accordingly, knowing how to write well is suitable for your grades. But there are other personal benefits as well. It can be a tool for personal growth and self-reflection. Essay writing can transform your understanding of yourself and the world around you.

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Political typology quiz.

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Where do you fit in the political typology?

Are you a faith and flag conservative progressive left or somewhere in between.

Take our quiz to find out which one of our nine political typology groups is your best match, compared with a nationally representative survey of more than 10,000 U.S. adults by Pew Research Center. You may find some of these questions are difficult to answer. That’s OK. In those cases, pick the answer that comes closest to your view, even if it isn’t exactly right.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Guest Essay

J.D. Vance: The Math on Ukraine Doesn’t Add Up

By J. D. Vance

Mr. Vance, a Republican, is the junior senator from Ohio.

President Biden wants the world to believe that the biggest obstacle facing Ukraine is Republicans and our lack of commitment to the global community. This is wrong.

Ukraine’s challenge is not the G.O.P.; it’s math. Ukraine needs more soldiers than it can field, even with draconian conscription policies. And it needs more matériel than the United States can provide. This reality must inform any future Ukraine policy, from further congressional aid to the diplomatic course set by the president.

The Biden administration has applied increasing pressure on Republicans to pass a supplemental aid package of more than $60 billion to Ukraine. I voted against this package in the Senate and remain opposed to virtually any proposal for the United States to continue funding this war. Mr. Biden has failed to articulate even basic facts about what Ukraine needs and how this aid will change the reality on the ground.

The most fundamental question: How much does Ukraine need and how much can we actually provide? Mr. Biden suggests that a $60 billion supplemental means the difference between victory and defeat in a major war between Russia and Ukraine. That is also wrong. This $60 billion is a fraction of what it would take to turn the tide in Ukraine’s favor. But this is not just a matter of dollars. Fundamentally, we lack the capacity to manufacture the amount of weapons Ukraine needs us to supply to win the war.

Consider our ability to produce 155-millimeter artillery shells. Last year, Ukraine’s defense minister estimated that the country’s base-line requirement for these shells was over four million per year but that it could fire up to seven million if that many were available. Since the start of the conflict, the United States has gone to great lengths to ramp up production of 155-millimeter shells. We’ve roughly doubled our capacity and can now produce 360,000 per year — less than a tenth of what Ukraine says it needs. The administration’s goal is to get this to 1.2 million — 30 percent of what’s needed — by the end of 2025. This would cost the American taxpayers dearly while yielding an unpleasantly familiar result: failure abroad.

Just this week, the top American military commander in Europe argued that absent further security assistance, Russia could soon have a 10-to-1 artillery advantage over Ukraine. What didn’t gather as many headlines is that Russia’s current advantage is at least 5 to 1, even after all the money we have poured into the conflict. Neither of these ratios plausibly leads to Ukrainian victory.

Proponents of American aid to Ukraine have argued that our approach has been a boon to our own economy, creating jobs here in the factories that manufacture weapons. But our national security interests can be — and often are — separate from our economic interests. The notion that we should prolong a bloody and gruesome war because it’s been good for American business is grotesque. We can and should rebuild our industrial base without shipping its products to a foreign conflict.

The story is the same when we look at other munitions. Take the Patriot missile system — our premier air defense weapon. It’s of such importance in this war that Ukraine’s foreign minister has specifically demanded them. That’s because in March alone, Russia reportedly launched over 3,000 guided aerial bombs, 600 drones and 400 missiles at Ukraine. To fend off these attacks, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and others have indicated they need thousands of Patriot interceptors per year. The problem is this: The United States only manufactures 550 per year. If we pass the supplemental aid package currently being considered in Congress, we could potentially increase annual production to 650, but that’s still less than a third of what Ukraine requires.

These weapons are not only needed by Ukraine. If China were to set its sights on Taiwan, the Patriot missile system would be critical to its defense. In fact, the United States has promised to send Taiwan nearly $900 million worth of Patriot missiles, but delivery of those weapons and other essential resources has been severely delayed, partly because of shortages caused by the war in Ukraine.

If that sounds bad, Ukraine’s manpower situation is even worse. Here are the basics: Russia has nearly four times the population of Ukraine. Ukraine needs upward of half a million new recruits, but hundreds of thousands of fighting-age men have already fled the country. The average Ukrainian soldier is roughly 43 years old , and many soldiers have already served two years at the front with few, if any, opportunities to stop fighting. After two years of conflict, there are some villages with almost no men left. The Ukrainian military has resorted to coercing men into service, and women have staged protests to demand the return of their husbands and fathers after long years of service at the front. This newspaper reported one instance in which the Ukrainian military attempted to conscript a man with a diagnosed mental disability.

Many in Washington seem to think that hundreds of thousands of young Ukrainians have gone to war with a song in their heart and are happy to label any thought to the contrary Russian propaganda. But major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic are reporting that the situation on the ground in Ukraine is grim.

These basic mathematical realities were true, but contestable, at the outset of the war. They were obvious and incontestable a year ago, when American leadership worked closely with Mr. Zelensky to undertake a disastrous counteroffensive. The bad news is that accepting brute reality would have been most useful last spring, before the Ukrainians launched that extremely costly and unsuccessful military campaign. The good news is that even now, a defensive strategy can work. Digging in with old-fashioned ditches, cement and land mines are what enabled Russia to weather Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive. Our allies in Europe could better support such a strategy, as well. While some European countries have provided considerable resources, the burden of military support has thus far fallen heaviest on the United States.

By committing to a defensive strategy, Ukraine can preserve its precious military manpower, stop the bleeding and provide time for negotiations to commence. But this would require both the American and Ukrainian leadership to accept that Mr. Zelensky’s stated goal for the war — a return to 1991 boundaries — is fantastical.

The White House has said time and again that it can’t negotiate with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This is absurd. The Biden administration has no viable plan for the Ukrainians to win this war. The sooner Americans confront this truth, the sooner we can fix this mess and broker for peace.

J.D. Vance ( @JDVance1 ), a Republican, is the junior senator from Ohio.

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