SOC 309 Op-Ed Manuscript Assignment Fall 2020

SOC 309 Op-Ed Manuscript Assignment Fall 2020

Before writing

SOC 309, Fall 2020 Op-Ed Manuscript: Guidelines

• Review the characteristics of the op-ed piece outlined in the document “Op-Ed: General Instructions.”
• Go over the feedback you received for your proposal and ask yourself some questions:

o “Do I have clarity about what I want to say? What is it?” Jot down some bullets or a

couple of sentences indicating what you want your readers to learn or understand.
o “Istheresubstanceinmyargument?”Organizealltheinformationyoucollectedabout “your” social inequality problem – i.e., data, historical background, studies, lesson

takeaways, etc.

o “How do I feel about the social inequality problem I am presenting in my op-ed?” Write down what needs to change and what you wish could be done about it.

SOC 309 Op-Ed Manuscript Assignment Fall 2020

Time to write your piece

The op-ed is a concise piece – so much so that your manuscript should have between 750 and 950 words only. You must make good use of your words to ensure adequate and strong delivery. There is no fixed structure for an op-ed piece, but you can follow some considerations to approach it:

• Opening: you should put the main point of your op-ed right in the first paragraph. This first paragraph must contain the key ideas you want to communicate (i.e., the foundations of your argument and what you want your readers to learn or understand). The first lines of an op- ed are crucial to set the scene and grab your reader’s attention.

  o Examples of “hooks” you can use in your piece: what is in the news; a dramatic anecdote; some reference to pop culture; a joke or irony pointing out a contradiction; an anniversary; a major study just published; a personal story; a surprising fact.

• Explain your social inequality problem/issue and supporting your argument: after the strong opening, you should convince your reader of your ideas and back up what you are saying. You may want to break down your explanation for the problem and, for each part of the explanation, present some evidence. For example, if you are criticizing a new policy, you can say: “Policy X is ineffective for two reasons. First, it excludes the most vulnerable population, such as shown by recent data from Y Institute. Second, it does not rely upon enough funding, as proved by the report from the Z Foundation.” Here are some details to consider when presenting your argument in an op-ed:

  o Use plain language and avoid jargon – the op-ed should educate your reader using a formal yet simple style; complicated words or prolix writing will push them away.

o Use active voice and avoid passive voice – the passive voice can bring a tone of uncertainty, distance, or neutrality; none of this is effective in an op-ed.

SOC 309 Op-Ed Manuscript Assignment Fall 2020

o Use short sentences and try to build a connection with the reader – the op-ed should establish a “conversation” with whoever is reading it.

• Recommendation or what to do about your social inequality problem/issue: after the argument, your reader will likely ask: “so what?” At this point, you should remember: an op- ed is not a news story or academic assessment that simply describes or explains a situation or problem. Here, your informed opinion matters too. Do not be satisfied, as you could be in a strictly academic paper, with mere analysis. In the op-ed, you should analyze (i.e., investigate what and why) and offer recommendations (i.e., what to do).
• “To be sure” moment:
• Ending: summarize your argument in a persuasive final paragraph. Ideally, you will conclude your piece with a phrase or thought that appeared in the opening, referring particularly to the “hook” from the beginning to “close the circle” of the argumentation.
• Title: this is the last step of your writing process, but it should be included at the very beginning of your piece. The title of your op-ed should work as a headline. In other words, the title should be informative and broadly express what you will say in the piece; it should have short words and strong verbs, and, finally, no unfamiliar abbreviations. The title should not be considered in your word count.

  Time to format and review your piece

  After you finish your manuscript, you should go through the following steps to guarantee you have the strongest piece possible:

• Check whether you referred to at least two reputable studies in your op-ed. You should mention these studies broadly in the body of your op-ed (e.g., “according to an article by Professor X…” or “a new University of Z study confirmed that…”) and specify the source in a footnote.1
• Add the word count right below the title – “Word count: [insert the number]” (do not forget to exclude the title and the footnotes with the references).
• Proofread your op-ed – preferably, you will ask someone else to do a final check for you; you can also take the opportunity to confirm whether your op-ed is compelling. Writing will be one of the grading criteria.
• Ensure your op-ed complies with academic integrity (i.e., absolutely no form of plagiarism or cheating).

  1 Please refer to the source in ASA style – use the handout shared with you on Blackboard to learn the ASA rules. Professor Nara Roberta Silva, inspired by The Op-Ed Project (theopedproject.org)

SOC 309, Fall 2020 – Op-Ed Manuscript: Guidelines

before you finish, you should recognize the existence of other views,

preempt your potential critics by acknowledging potential flaws in your argument, and address

any obvious counter-arguments.

SOC 309 Op-Ed Manuscript Assignment Fall 2020

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