An opinion piece is an opportunity to share your research with a broad audience and to advocate for something, whether it’s to support a particular policy, encourage change or provoke debate. It’s also a valuable way to develop your writing skills by conveying complex ideas in ways that are accessible to non-specialist readers.
Opinion pieces need a hook that grabs the reader’s attention. This is typically done with a narrative anecdote, but you can also use a news hook, which is a short statement that makes your piece relevant to current events. The introduction (also known as the ‘lede’) should also be clear on what your article is about and its aims and purpose, i.e., “This article seeks to highlight the plight of people with learning disabilities.”
The lede and the standfirst are your first chance to engage your readers, so make them count. A strong opening entices the reader and sets the scene for the weightier arguments and evidence that are yet to come. A narrative flash, an anecdote or a wry bit of irony are often effective ways to add voice and draw the audience in.
Opinion pieces should be grounded in solid research and provide a new insight into the topic they are discussing. It is important to find out what the latest thinking on the issue is, but be wary of quoting from the internet and other sources without checking them for accuracy. If you are unsure about your facts, double check them before sending the article out. Also, be sure to consider your audience when deciding which publication to send the piece to – a highly respected paper such as The New York Times may only accept op-eds from academics with high-profile profiles.