Write an opinion piece with a point
An opinion piece gives a focused view on a public issue and supports it with facts. It should move readers as well as inform them. A strong claim is only the beginning: the argument needs evidence, a clear public concern and a concrete proposal.
The essentials
Choose an issue you understand and narrow it to a specific problem affecting the public. Do not try to cover an entire debate. State your main claim early, in a strong sentence of roughly twenty-five words, then use the rest of the piece to defend it rather than slowly approaching a conclusion.
Support the claim with facts, figures and material from other sources. In the manual’s suggested 500-to-700-word form, each element should contribute directly to the argument. Emotion can make the stakes felt, but it must not replace evidence. Ask what a sceptical reader would need to see before accepting the central claim.
Offer a clear solution. Who should do what, and why would it matter? General wishes leave readers without a next step. Keep the tone personal and conversational, decisive without becoming excessive. Prefer active verbs, short sentences and concrete language. Facts give people reasons to agree; emotion can help them care enough to act. The two should work together rather than compete for the reader’s attention.
Take it to the field
Write the proposal first, then ask who must do what. Replace general wishes with an understandable action and connect each argument directly to the solution you are asking the reader to consider.
Your turn
Read two recent opinion pieces. Can each opening claim be stated in twenty-five words? Find the proposed solution and decide whether emotion strengthens the evidence or takes its place.