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    How To Write An Op-Ed

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    Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)
    Jennifer Ditchburn, editor-in-chief of Policy Options, and Shannon Sampert, editor and director of the Evidence Network, spend their days devoted to mobilizing knowledge from Canadian researchers. They share their strategies on how to write sharp op-eds for broader consumption, one of the most important ways to ensure your analysis and research is shared in the public sphere.

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    How To Write An Op-Ed

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    Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)
    4K views18 pages
    Jennifer Ditchburn, editor-in-chief of Policy Options, and Shannon Sampert, editor and director of the Evidence Network, spend their days devoted to mobilizing knowledge from Canadian researchers. They share their strategies on how to write sharp op-eds for broader consumption, one of the most important ways to ensure your analysis and research is shared in the public sphere.

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    How to write an op-ed

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    Jennifer Ditchburn, editor-in-chief of Policy Options, and Shannon Sampert, editor and director of the Evidence Network, spend their days devoted to mobilizing knowledge from Canadian researchers. They share their strategies on how to write sharp op-eds for broader consumption, one of the most important ways to ensure your analysis and research is shared in the public sphere.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    4K views18 pages

    How To Write An Op-Ed

    Uploaded by

    Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)
    Jennifer Ditchburn, editor-in-chief of Policy Options, and Shannon Sampert, editor and director of the Evidence Network, spend their days devoted to mobilizing knowledge from Canadian researchers. They share their strategies on how to write sharp op-eds for broader consumption, one of the most important ways to ensure your analysis and research is shared in the public sphere.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 18

    policyoptions.irpp.

    org

    HOW TO WRITE AN OP-ED

    December 5, 2017
    Sponsored by / commandit par

    2
    Why write an Op-Ed?

    3
    Influence the conversation / thought leadership
    Provoke debate
    Control the message
    Expose unintended consequences
    Promote research
    Expand network/find new potential collaborators
    Bring diversity of viewpoints
    Promote personal/institutional profile
    More media attention

    4
    WHEN TO WRITE
    Topic is hot
    Something new to share (released report,
    research findings)
    Anniversaries/national days
    In advance of an event (curtain raiser)
    Event post-mortem
    Slow news times
    Not time sensitive.good for the can

    5
    GETTING STARTED

    Core premise?

    Intended audience?

    Length?

    Publishers style?

    6
    STRUCTURE!

    7
    INTRODUCTION/LEAD

    NUTS AND BOLTS

    FIRST POINT SUPPORTING THE PREMISE

    SECOND POINT SUPPORTING THE PREMISE


    (and so on)

    RECOMMENDATIONS/SOLUTIONS (optional)

    CONCLUSION

    8
    INTRODUCTION/LEAD

    Hook the reader!


    Whats this about? (Dont bury the lead)
    Can be in form of anecdote, quote,
    controversial/bald statement
    Avoid formal presentations (In this essay.)
    Avoid date/time openings (On Dec. 5, in
    Montreal)

    9
    NUTS AND BOLTS

    Why should the reader care about this issue?

    Why are you writing about this right now?

    Historical/statistical context for the piece

    10
    MAIN POINTS

    - One thought/idea/point per section,


    supported by evidence. Relates back to
    premise!

    - Each section has beginning and end

    - Look for a logical flow of points

    - Propose recommendations/solutions to
    the issue in question

    11
    CONCLUSION
    Can be short

    Echo of the introduction

    Cast forward into the future

    A deeper reflection

    What is the next step?

    12
    THE WRITING.

    13
    Plain language
    Avoid academic, industry jargon
    Short paras, short sentences
    Read it out loud
    Dont be afraid of the first person
    Put up signposts (ie. Why is this
    important?)
    Forget about perfection

    14
    GETTING PUBLISHED
    Be open to editing

    Suggest headlines, but

    Bio and photo?

    Embrace hyperlinks

    Social media savvy

    15
    RECOMMENDED READS/LISTENS
    CBC interview with cognitive scientist Stephen Pinker on writing clearly.

    The Evidence Networks tools for writing a snappy Op-Ed.

    Examples of Op-Eds:
    Fenwick McKelvey & Elizabeth Dubois, Toward the response use of bots in
    politics. Policy Options

    Scott McLeod, Despite the fanfare, the medical benefits of marijuana remain
    experimental for many conditions. Evidence Network.

    Rachel Curran, Handling the public policy hot potatoes. Policy Options.

    Jennifer Zwicker and Stephanie Dunn, The most recent data on Canadian
    children with disabilities is almost a decade old. Evidence Network.

    16
    Thanks to our sponsor!

    17
    THANK YOU!

    18

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