October 14, 2009 Archives

Assigned Text:

Editorials

The editorial persuades, informs, and/or entertains. Unlike news features, an editorial does have a point of view. (See the glossary entry for editorial.)

That point of view is informed. It is not unfair to the opposition, and it sources its claims just as carefully as a news article.

A lot of editorial writers try to get by on their writing or their outrage, and not on their reporting. That just doesn't work. You've got to have facts. In an article, you use them to inform. In an editorial, you use facts to persuade. --Michael Gartner, Ames (Ia.) Daily Tribune (See more tips from Poynter)

The lead editorial in a newspaper is usually an unsigned essay, on page two (on the back of the front page).  It represents the opinion of the editorial board on an important current issue. The assumption is that the reader has just read this paper's front-page news story on this issue, and is now ready to engage with educated opinions.

Usually on page 3, the "Op-ed" page, we find a guest editorial. "Op-ed" is so named because "opposite" means "on the other side of the page" -- the point of view of that editorial may agree with or disagree with the lead editorial, or it may be on a completely different subject.

Tips for Writing Editorials
Vocabulary & AP Style

As I mentioned in class last week, there will be no midterm assessment.

Recent Comments

Andrew Wichrowski on Editorials: Wrong Link http://blogs.seton
Andrew Wichrowski on Editorials: http://jerz.setonhill.edu/EL22
Jeanine O'Neal on Haiman 43-56: Objectivity Is Impossible: A R
Jeanine O'Neal on Sample Investigative Reports: WANTED for Defamation: Invesit
Katie Vann on Sample Investigative Reports: Kaitlin, I tried to leave a co
Katie Vann on Haiman 43-56: A Tough Situation
Aja Hannah on Portfolio 3: Quality, not Quantity: News Wr
Katie Vann on Portfolio 3: #3- The Semester is Flying
Jessie Krehlik on Portfolio 3: http://blogs.setonhill.edu/Jes
Kaitlin Monier on Portfolio 3: Applying my knowledge outside
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