Editorials

Write tight. Make a single point, in 300 words. (Guest editorials, written by an invited expert, can tackle a more complex subject, and may be 800 or even longer. The editorial page editor will work with a submission, helping the writer make his or her case with precise, snappy, expressive phrasing.)

• Write short, journalism-style paragraphs -- two or three sentences, not the page-long monsters you construct for academic papers.
• Start with your main point.
• Avoid "There are many ways that X has been important in recent weeks. One such way is Y." 
  Instead, try "X forced itself upon us for the third time this month, when Y happened."
• Finish strong. Don't just repeat your thesis -- bring the reader somewhere.
  

Pick a topic that emerges from the news. (That is, your paper is already running a news article on this topic, and you are adding your opinion to the coverage.)

Avoid vague references to "some people say" or "research shows." Name names. Interview sources yourself.

• If you're writing about a national issue, you probably won't get a quote from President Obama.
• You might, however, get a quote from a member of the University Democrats or the College Republicans -- there are SHU chapters of both on Facebook.
  

Presume that your opponent has good reasons for disagreeing with you. Talk to people on the other side, and include some of their eloquent, well-argued points. Carefully and respectfully explain why your position is nevertheless more accurate (or ethical, or practical, or inspirational, or whatever).

• Avoid trying to make your opinion seem stronger by distorting the other side, either through exaggeration ("Animal rights groups would rather millions of people from cancer than have one animal die during a scientific experiment") or by using unflattering labels ("nicotine addicts who oppose my right to breathe fresh air..." "reactionary tea-baggers whose pathetic world-view is threatened by Obama's heroic economic vision..." ).
• Making "the other side" look evil or stupid may fool people who don't know what you are talking about, but people who do know something about the subject can (and will) write a letter to the editor correcting your misrepresentations.

Don't think of your goal as picking a fight with people who enrage you. Instead, try swaying the opinion of a reasonable person who sees the merits of both sides.

Write for something specific (not just against something)

Avoid simply listing complaints, or attacking a silent opponent with a series of aggressive questions that you have no intention of researching. 

Why is the salad bar so expensive this year? For the past several years, the cost of a large salad has gone up 10 cents each fall. This year, it jumped almost a dollar.  Is a salad really worth $3? For just a little more, I could get a hot meal. Why are our food prices so unfair?

Whine, whine, whine! Anybody can churn out a list of complaints against topic X.  It's another thing entirely to come up with a solution, and then make a public statement in its favor.

So, instead of just whining about the high price of a salad, I might instead contact the dining services, and actually ask why the price went up. I might hear the manager tell me that customers had frequently requested more chicken salad and other expensive meat dishes.  My editorial becomes an opportunity to inform, as I explain the reason for the price increase, and make a sensible suggestion -- $2.00 greens-only option.

Examples
(Two from my blog, one from an online newspaper. Feel free to comment if you wish.)

• Surprising Sexist Statement from a University Professor (200 words)
• About the Golden Rule for Ed Tech Vendors (400 words, excluding article excerpt)
  
• Football Slouches Towards a Former Women's College (1600 words)

Additional Readings

A great series from Poynter Online (a craft-centered journalism education website)

• Introduction
• The Editorial Critique by Fred Fiske
• The Baltimore Sun
  Editorial & critique
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  Editorial & critique