you, but your reader may get left your conclusion for a number
behind. Using more common of reasons. First, editors usually
language often has the benefit cut from the end of a piece, so,
of making your reader feel intel- if space is short, your entire point
ligent. Make numbers friendlier could be lost. Second, you want
by using simple expressions (e.g., to tell your readers right away
about 1.5 million instead of what your thesis is and why they
1,498,000). should care. And third, many
Short sentences and para- people don’t have the patience to
graphs. when you read news read to the end to find out what
stories and editorials, you’ll notice you’re talking about.
the sentences and paragraphs You can put a brief (2–3 sen-
are fairly short. This format tences) introduction or “lede”
improves readability and improves at the beginning, in which you
clarity. To test this, read the identify what ties this piece to a
piece out loud. If it’s difficult to current topic. Then, state your
read out loud, you’ll want to do thesis or argument in a convinc-
some editing. ing and compelling manner. Tell
Know the word limit and your readers how the issue affects
don’t violate it. Newspapers are them.
strict about word limits because Use no more than three proof
space is a premium. Someone points to make your case. Devote
carefully plans the op-ed page no more than two or three short
to contain a certain number of paragraphs per point, illustrating
items, so if your op-ed is 500 your position with evidence (e.g.,
words over the limit, it will statistics, facts, etc.). Use only as
probably be badly cut or simply much background as you need to
trashed. facilitate understanding. Finally,
Use active voice. Many writ- write your conclusion.
ers unwittingly fall into using
no matter how well-written and
passive voice, which often makes
Results
timely it is. You will increase your
their writing difficult to read. For Keep in mind the need for time-
chance of publication, however, if
example, the song “I Get a Kick liness and, if possible, email or
you stay within these guidelines
Out of You” is active voice; pas- fax the op-ed. There’s no guaran-
and follow the requirements of
sive voice would read “A Kick Is tee your work will be published,
the papers to which you write. n
Gotten Out of You by Me.”
Respect your readers. Your
job is to provide clarity, but not
to condescend. Your audience
may not be educated in your
field or as aware of the issue as
you are, so don’t use a $20 word Quotable
where a $5 word will do.
However, don’t dumb down your
language, either.
Writing Your Op-Ed
statisticians an excuse to have
Most people approach writing an
“
I know one other thing the bootstrap [resampling method]
did and that was give many
someone buy them a computer, and that changed things.
essay in an orderly way, beginning
at the beginning and proceeding
Carl Morris speaking with Bradley Efron in “Bradley Efron:
to the conclusion. In an op-ed,
A Conversation with Good Friends,” May 2003, Statistical Science
“
however, you want to begin with
AUGUST 2009 AmstAt News 23
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