How to Write an Editorial for High School Students
Writing an editorial is an effective way to have your voice heard and develop your own style of thinking and writing.
An editorial is a well-written piece that explores an important issue and its effects on society, while offering solutions.
What is an Editorial?
Editorials are articles in which the author expresses their personal view on a certain topic. They’re commonly found in newspapers and magazines, but can also be written for other publications.
A successful editorial will inform and persuade readers about a controversial issue by providing facts that back up their position. The author should use sound reasoning, facts, and an approachable tone in order to influence readers’ minds.
As part of their high school journalism class, students write editorials for their local newspaper as an exercise that helps hone writing skills and gain insight into the newspaper business. This activity serves as a great opportunity for them to hone their craft as journalists while learning more about its operations.
Students should begin by selecting an engaging topic for their editorial. Selecting topics that are both current and intriguing will make the editorial more captivating to readers.
For instance, if a student is passionate about bullying, she could craft an editorial with examples of both its positive and negative effects. Furthermore, the editorial should provide information regarding different types of bullying and how to manage each one effectively.
Another effective editorial topic is one that will garner significant media coverage. This could include something pertinent to your community, like a new bill, or it could be something significant in your country such as an upcoming election.
An editorial should be concise and to the point, without becoming a rant or opinion piece.
In this lesson, students will examine a selection of editorials in their local paper. Over several days, they’ll read the articles and discuss their purpose. After discussing their findings with classmates, groups will present their findings to the class as a whole.
This lesson will assist students in their comprehension of the distinction between fact and opinion, as well as give them ideas on how to persuade others about an issue. This knowledge will make them stronger writers when crafting articles for publication in their school paper.
Topic Sentences
Topic sentences are an essential element of high school students’ writing process. They help them stay on topic and enable them to craft essays more effectively.
A topic sentence provides the reader with a summary of what the paragraph will cover and what the writer hopes to convey. It also serves as the framework for the remaining sentences within the paragraph.
For instance, if the topic of your paragraph is crime in poverty-stricken areas, then your topic sentence might be: “Crime in poor areas is caused by systemic discrimination.” This sentence helps readers gain clarity on what will be covered within the paragraph and provides them with enough information to begin reading.
Another effective strategy for crafting a strong topic sentence is to select an idea you can back up with evidence. Doing this will allow you to craft a more thorough and convincing paragraph.
In addition to a topic sentence, an editorial should also provide a concluding statement. This will let readers know whether the essay was successful and motivate them to keep reading.
Many teachers have instructed their students to compose five-paragraph essays, consisting of an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. Unfortunately, this structure can be overwhelming restrictive for some learners.
One way to help your students be more successful with this step of the writing process is to encourage them to create a topic sentence first and then write body paragraphs surrounding it. Doing this makes the task simpler for them and guarantees that all important information is included in the first paragraph of their essay.
If students are having trouble creating a topic sentence, provide them with several options to select from and let them pick which works best for them. Doing this will allow them to practice their skills while giving them a model to work from.
Another way to help students develop topic sentences is by having them create an editorial on a favorite subject that they can relate to. This can be an enjoyable way for them to begin their writing journey and teach them how to compose persuasively.
Body Paragraphs
A successful editorial should contain several body paragraphs that support your main idea. Each paragraph should consist of two or three sentences and provide a compelling case for why you believe what you believe.
If, for instance, your opinion is that tobacco companies should be outlawed, then each paragraph of your body should include facts and evidence to back up this assertion. These details should come from reliable sources.
Another essential principle to remember is that each paragraph should logically relate to the one before and after it. This can be accomplished by using transition words or phrases which demonstrate how ideas are connected and flow from one sentence to the next.
The final section of each body paragraph should be a conclusion, which sums up your points. After this conclusion has been provided, you can move on to the next section of your essay.
Typically, an editorial offers a response to recent events or issues. The introduction typically contains the reaction and the body follows with two or three short paragraphs that explain or support it.
Writing a body paragraph requires using a strong, articulate voice and employing compelling arguments to support your opinion. This is particularly crucial since editorials typically contain opinions; therefore, they must be supported with evidence and facts.
Make sure to express your point succinctly and clearly, so it doesn’t get lost in the text. For instance, never write “so-and-so is right.” Rather, say something like, “so-and-so has been wronged by so-and-so.”
Once you understand how that person’s actions or decisions have affected the situation, you have an opportunity to offer solutions if possible.
Depending on the topic at hand, you may wish to provide examples from real life that illustrate it. Doing so will enable readers to gain a better understanding of the problem and motivate them to take action.
If you are advocating against smoking cigarettes, then you could point out its harmful effects on lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema and premature birth – all of which are serious social problems which the tobacco industry has failed to address.
Conclusions
In the conclusion of an editorial, it should summarize the key points made in the body and provide relevant evidence. Doing this will make the piece more persuasive and believable to readers. Furthermore, there should be a strong call-to-action included that encourages them to take some type of action.
Students should compose their editorials from an informed point of view and select a topic they are knowledgeable about. Ideally, this topic should be something they are passionate about or something with which they have some personal connection; this will encourage them to be more engaged and motivated while crafting their pieces.
To assist your students with their research, you can show them how to utilize resources in the school media center or computer lab. These may include the Internet, encyclopedias, books, magazines and newspapers. Doing this will enable them to collect factual data and strengthen and refine their arguments for supporting a particular topic.
Once students have their list of topics, encourage them to create rough drafts and share them with their partners. Then have them revise and improve their work as needed. Doing this will teach them how to craft effective persuasive writing.
Next, explain to students the distinctions between facts and opinions. Tell them an opinion is a personal belief held by someone, while a fact can be proven true or false. Doing this will enable them to comprehend that the topic they have chosen requires factual information such as statistics or references for support.
A well-crafted editorial will focus on one particular aspect of a contentious issue. Doing this allows the writer to provide ample support for their arguments, as well as provide readers with an organized overview.
At the end of their editorial, students should urge readers to take some form of action such as signing a petition or attending an event. Furthermore, it offers them an opportunity to voice their own opinion and demonstrate critical reading skills.