Essential Questions

•Why do people write Editorials?

•How can a piece of writing help stimulate thinking and mold opinions?

•What is the significance of a Works Cited page?

KEY TERMS:•Editorial

•Subjective

•Objective

•Fact

•Opinion

•Ethos

•Logos

•Pathos

•Editorial that explains

•Editorial that evaluates

•Editorial that persuades

•An editorial states a newspaper’s ideas on an issue and are presented as opinion.•An editorial is one of the writing styles used to express an opinion or reaction to timely news, event or an issue of concern. •Most editorials are used to influence readers to think or act the same way the writer does.•An editorial is NOT a news story. A news story is objective because no opinion or conclusion is provided.

What are the main purposes for writing editorials?

*Inform~Promote

*Evaluate~Praise

*Entertain*Persuade*

Editorials that Inform Similar to expository essays

Attempt to interpret, promote or inform rather than to argue a point of view

Give insights and facts about a complicated issue OR promoting of a particular event/organization

Expression of opinion comes in the interpretation of the facts

Editorials that EvaluateFocus on things that are wrong or in need of improvement (criticize) OR that are praiseworthy.

Critical editorials should always be constructive. Emphasize the positive about what you are criticizing, or readers will not trust you. Writers have an obligation to offer an alternative solution or course of action.

If the editorial praises, give specific reasons for doing so. Perhaps an organization or individual has gone above and beyond the call of duty and should be recognized.

Editorials that Entertain•The writer encourages or entertains the reader about something

•These are often the hardest to write as it usually involves humor

•What warrants entertaining?

Editorials that Persuade•Use fact and argument to influence public opinion, promote critical thinking, and cause people to take action on an issue.

•Take a firm stand on an issue or person.

•Offer solutions to a perceived problem

•They expect immediate action rather than the understanding of a situation

Why is writing with emotion and persuasive language important components in writing an editorial?

It is important because it is your job to persuade your audience that your ideas are valid, or more valid than someone else’s. In order to do that, you need to appeal to all three means of persuasion--Ethos, Pathos and Logos.

Ethos(Credibility)

We tend to believe people whom we respect.

You need to be trustworthy as a writer

Appeals to their ethics

Pathos(Emotional)

Persuade your reader by appealing to the reader’s emotions

Language choice can really affect the audience’s emotional response

Make the reader really feel what you feel

Appeals to the heart!

Logos(Logical)

Persuasion based on reasoning---the heart of argumentation!

The ability to effectively support your point with clear evidence.

Make a logical appeal that the reader understands

Appeals to the head

Wrap-Up

An editorial is the voice of the community.This voice should:

Appeal to your audience

Stimulate thinking

Mold opinion

Move people to action

What Bugs You?What Bugs You?

BrainstormBrainstorm

Where do editorial ideas come from?

The daily lives of students…

Interaction with each other, faculty,& administration.

Interaction affects classes, extracurricular activities,

and after-school activities.

Community, state, national, and global issues

are of concern to the well-informed student.

What makes a good Editorial?

1. Hook

2. Thesis

3. Body

4. Conclusion

5. No I

What makes an Editorial effective?What makes an Editorial effective?

HookHook–catchy headline, an anecdote, a catchy headline, an anecdote, a strongly controversial statement, etc. - strongly controversial statement, etc. - something that will grab the attention of something that will grab the attention of your readeryour reader

Thesis Thesis –Your viewpoint on the topic and with Your viewpoint on the topic and with key points that support your opinionkey points that support your opinion

What makes an Editorial Effective?What makes an Editorial Effective?

BodyBody– Present your argument in the way you think it will be Present your argument in the way you think it will be

strongeststrongest– Use facts, numbers and quotations to support your pointsUse facts, numbers and quotations to support your points– Logic is best, but emotional appeal will also be effectiveLogic is best, but emotional appeal will also be effective

ConclusionConclusion– Restate your thesis statementRestate your thesis statement– Re-enforce the main ideas by rewording or emphasizing Re-enforce the main ideas by rewording or emphasizing

its importanceits importance– End with a bang!End with a bang!

NO “I”!

Key Factor to Focus on

It would be silly to use words such as “I think” or “in my opinion” in an editorial. These words often weaken your argument anyway.

It is a much stronger statement to say, “This is an injustice” than to say “I think this is wrong.”

Do not leave any doubt in your reader’s mind about the stance taken in the editorial.

What steps should I take when writing my editorial?

1. Choose an issue

2. Gather support

3. Follow the Writing Process

Choose an Issue•Choose a topic that interests you

•If you are excited about it, the reader will be more engaged.

•Be sure the topic is relevant

•No one wants to read an opinion piece about something that does not have any affect on “today” (ex: We should have never gotten involved in the Korean War is not a relevant topic for an editorial)

•Exception-if there is an anniversary or reason why the issue is relevant again (ex: The Korean War anniversary)

•Determine what you hope to accomplish

•Why you are writing this piece should be clear!

Gather Support

•All good editorials are grounded in fact

•You need to do the proper amount of “legwork” to build a strong base for your editorial

•Places to look for support:

•Other editorials

•Newspapers

•Research based books/websites

•Blogs

•Everyday people

•Surveys

Writing Process

•Prewrite

•Use the template provided to you

•Draft•In order to reach your goal, you must keep the audience in mind.

•Who is the writer addressing? •What is the most effective way of connecting to this audience?•What are the strategies the writer uses to connect to his audience?

•Revise/Edit•Publish

Guidelines

State the problem or situation.

State your position.

Give evidence to support your position.

State and refute the position of the other side in the conclusion.

Offer possible solutions to the problem.

Brainstorming

What Bugs You?

•Suspends critical judgment

•Generates as many ideas as possible

•Group participation for creativity

•Various approaches to specific topics