HOW TO WRITE AN OP-ED OR COLUMN
An op-ed piece derives its name from originally having appeared opposite the editorial page in a
newspaper. Today, the term is used more widely to represent a column that represents the
strong, informed, and focused opinion of the writer on an issue of relevance to a targeted
audience.
Distinguishing Characteristics of an Op-Ed or Column
Partly, a column is defined by where it appears, but it shares some common characteristics:
• Typically, it is short, between 750 and 800 words.
• It has a clearly defined point.
• It has a clearly defined point of view.
• It represents clarity of thinking.
• It contains the strong, unique voice of the writer.
Questions to Ask Yourself When Writing an Op-Ed or Column
• Do I have a clear point to make?
• What is it?
• Who cares? (Writing with a particular audience in mind can inform how you execute your
column. Who is it that you are trying to convince? Why are you targeting that specific
reader?)
• Is there substance to my argument?
Every successful op-ed piece or column must have a clearly defined topic and theme.
• Topic: the person, place, issue, incident, or thing that is the primary focus of the column.
• Theme: another level of meaning to the topic. What’s the big, overarching idea of the
column? What’s your point? Why is your point important? The theme may appear early in
the piece or it may appear later when it may also serve as a turning point into a deeper
level of argument.
Research
While columns and op-ed pieces allow writers to include their own voice and express an opinion,
to be successful the columns must be grounded in solid research. Research involves acquiring
facts, quotations, citations, or data from sources and personal observation. Research also allows
a reader to include sensory data (touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight) into a column. There are
two basic methods of research:
• Field research: going to the scene, interviews, legwork; primary materials, observations,
and knowledge
• Library, academic, or internet research: using secondary materials, including graphs,
charts, and scholarly articles