Over the next few days, you will write an Editorial which ...



Over the next few days, you will write an Editorial which Persuades or Criticizes.

Remember that this type of editorial should also contain solutions or suggestions for improving or changing the situation… otherwise the editorial just sounds like a writer whining and complaining, which is not very persuasive and not very interesting reading.

Choosing a Topic for a Persuasive/Critical Editorial

1. It must be a topic about which you FEEL STRONGLY or REALLY CARE.

If you don’t REALLY care about the topic, it will be obvious to the reader. Also, you won’t be motivated to do the proper research and reporting unless you are really interested in the topic.

2. It must be a controversial topic which has legitimate arguments on BOTH SIDES of the argument.

(For example: “Smoking is bad for you” or “The Chicago Bulls stink” are NOT effective persuasive editorial topics because they are not controversial. Almost everyone already agrees with these statements… they are obvious and have no controversy to them.)

To take a general, non-controversial topic and make it more effective, try to make it MORE SPECIFIC. For example, instead of “Smoking is bad for you”, a more specific, thus more controversial, thus more effective topic might be: “Smoking is more dangerous now than ever before because of its popularity among teens.” Instead of “The Bulls stink,” a more effective topic might be “The Chicago Bulls stink because their coach and upper management can’t evaluate basketball talent.” When you make a topic MORE SPECIFIC, you create more possible controversy, thus making it a more effective persuasive editorial topic.

3. It must be a topic that is currently in the news (a topic which has IMMEDIACY for the readers). Any topic with a news connection within the last month or so has the necessary immediacy.

It should be a fresh topic, NOT one which has been argued countless times before, such as: “Abortion should/should not be legal”; “Capital punishment is right/wrong”; “War is right/wrong”. First of all, these topics are too general. And, while they may be controversial, most readers have already heard all the arguments on these topics before and do not want to read the same old arguments again. Secondly, with stale old topics like these, readers have often already made up their minds and cannot be persuaded to think differently. Other topics that are getting very stale in the U.S.: the legalization of drugs (especially marijuana) and gun ownership laws.

NARROWING IN ON A TOPIC

General Brainstorm:

Think about the general subjects that interest you: What makes you really angry? What makes you really happy? What makes you really sad? What do you really look forward to? What do you really dread? Write your responses below:

Connection to current news/events:

Of the topics you’ve listed above, which ones can be connected somehow to news events within the last month or so? (even a loose connection with a news event is OK)

AT THIS POINT, YOU SHOULD HAVE 1-2 POSSIBLE GENERAL TOPICS IN MIND… now continue…

Making the topic more specific (and more controversial):

Write down some specific points you would like to make about the topic OR how you would like people to think differently about the topic than they do already OR why other people should really care about this topic (why it’s important):

Stating your editorial topic:

In the space below, write down your goal or purpose for this editorial – what do you want the readers to think after reading it, what do you want them to do after reading it, how do you want the readers to be affected?

EDITORIAL TOPIC:

Persuasive techniques you plan to use:

Using the “Persuasive Techniques” handout, list the techniques you plan to use in your editorial and why each that you use will be effective.

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