Op-Ed Writing Assignment (persuasive argument) with 750-800 words
(Can Read 2 articles: The Opt-Out Revolution by
Lisa Belkin and the Opt- Out generation wants back in by Judith Warner)
Make a clear, timely, single point – you should be able to summarize your argument in 1-2 sentences.
2) Show, don’t tell – make an immediate hook and demonstrate to your readers what’s happening, not relying simply on
discussion.
3) Make readers care – you need to make a clear, persuasive appeal as to why your audience should care about what
you’re writing about.
4) Provide an alternative, don’t just criticize – use your (limited) words to suggest a mindset, course of action, policy
change, organizational shift, or something else that your readers can do to alleviate, assuage, or assist in the process of
dismantling whatever problem you may have identified in your piece.
5) Demonstrate your expertise and relate-ability – use your expertise to make a case for your argument without relying
on jargon or specific vocabulary that a smart, generalist reader (who hasn’t taken your same course-load) could
understand.
6) Connect your argument to something happening in the world right now – create links (conceptual and actual) to events
or ideas happening in the world (whether that world is Northeastern or the world, broadly). The catch: the event that
you are linking to must be something that has been published for a wider audience, not simply something based on
your own experience.
7) Support your argument with others’ research and arguments – provide 5 well-placed and well-researched references
(hyperlinks, if possible) to build out your argument.
8) Use active language – avoid the passive (which adds words and weakens your argument).
9) Be succinct – you may not exceed 800 words
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