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By: Morgan Wachter, Mandy Dejonghe

The document provides tips for writing an effective opinion column. It recommends interviewing and observing to find material, expressing a clear opinion to generate discussion, and making the column personal so readers can relate. Writers should avoid rambling and stay focused on their central point. Additional tips include finding an authentic voice, being concise, using dynamic language, and occasionally breaking grammar rules for effect. The document also distinguishes between staff editorials and personal opinions.

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skittels12
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39 views9 pages

By: Morgan Wachter, Mandy Dejonghe

The document provides tips for writing an effective opinion column. It recommends interviewing and observing to find material, expressing a clear opinion to generate discussion, and making the column personal so readers can relate. Writers should avoid rambling and stay focused on their central point. Additional tips include finding an authentic voice, being concise, using dynamic language, and occasionally breaking grammar rules for effect. The document also distinguishes between staff editorials and personal opinions.

Uploaded by

skittels12
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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 By: Morgan Wachter, Mandy

DeJonghe
 Writing an Opinion Column
 Report First, Write Second
 Interviewing and observing are the
most important elements
 Get people talking about your
column
 Express an opinion that will
generate discussion
 Don’t be so vague that you only see
the obvious
 Make it Personal
 Make column as personal as
possible
 Have people relate to the story, have
them connect
 Purpose of opinion columns is to
state opinion
 Don’t Ramble
 Have a point, get to it, and keep the
column focused on it
 Approach a story from a different
and unexpected
 Find Your Perfect Voice
 Find a voice that represents who you
are, create your own style.
Voice and Style:
 Voice is a tone of your writing
 Style is the composite of content,

diction, structure, and mechanics


 Showcase example: page 191

 Writing Tips


 Be correct
 Keep it simple
 Use dynamic nouns and verbs
 Match tone to purpose
 Keep it short
 Break the rules: use a sentence
fragment occasionally , don’t get too
hung up on mechanics
 Be precise
 Spice it up
 Read
 Be concise
 For Example…
Be concise:
 The vehicle we were looking for was
a van that we planned to use on our
vacation
 For our vacation, we wanted a van
 The 6-11 center ducked into the
journalism lab.
 The 6-11center on the basketball
team lowered his head and walked
into the journalism classroom
 Staff Editorial vs. Personal Opinions

 Staff Editorial
 Represents the statement of the
newspaper, not just the individual
writer
 Purpose is the same as an opinion
column
(praise, endorse, defend, criticize)
 Style of writing is different however
 Staff editorials use correct
mechanics and avoid sentence
fragments unlike personal opinion
columns
 Staff Editorial Follows
 Introduction of a problem
 Statement of a staff stance
 Supporting evidence
 Introduction of alternate point of
view
 Summary remarks
 Call to action
 Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following is one of the writing tips
mentioned?
A. Don’t read your article
B. Be precise
C. Listen to music while writing
D. Make it complex
2. What is one thing you don’t want to do?
A. Ramble
B. Target and audience
C. Be correct
D. Have variety
 True or False
6. __ when writing an opinion column
you look for an interesting angle
7. __ keep it simple is not a writing tip
8. __ in the showcase the girls name is
Jesse
9. __ one of the chapter highlights is
make columns as personal as
possible
10. __ a writing tip mentioned is to be
correct
 Fill in the Blank
Word Bank: correct,
impress, rules,
precise, personal, express,
concise, stand
11. When writing an opinion column
make it________.
12. Write to ______, not _______.
13. Take a ______.
14. Three writing tips are to be _____,
_______, and ______.
15. One of the writing tips is to break
the ______.
 Answer Key
1. B ( be precise)
2. A (ramble)
3. D (find and develop your voice)
4. A (make it personal)
5. C (take breaks)
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. True
10. True
 Answer Key
1. B ( be precise)
2. A (ramble)
3. D (find and develop your voice)
4. A (make it personal)
5. C (take breaks)
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. True
10. True

11. Personal
12. Express, impress
13. Stand
14. Concise, precise, and correct
15. Rules

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