This section will cover two objectives: learning how great op-eds teach their point of view (rather than always arguing) and we’ll explore three op-eds and what makes them effective through the Hook, Teach, Ask, op-ed format.
The best op-eds and opinion pieces teach. Sure, some argue, some demand, but if you approach your piece as an opportunity to teach you will have a better chance of changing minds and effecting change.
You can teach through history, through anecdotes, through personal testimony, through well-chosen statistics, through research, through envisioning likely implications, through showing the shortcomings of an argument, through any method that helps the reader better understand your perspective.
Alternatively, the best op-eds are not infomercials for the organization, company, book, or candidacy, you represent. Sure, you can draw attention indirectly to what you are doing in your work but the end goal of your opinion piece is to teach the reader something new about a current issue.
As you read these and those of the publication where you will submit your piece, ask the following questions to figure out how the author put their piece together:
One method that helps with organizing an op-ed is “Hook, Teach, Ask.” This method will help you organize your thoughts and the eventual piece itself. We’ll get into the specifics of each portion later on in the guide when you’re ready to write the piece.
Hook: Begin in a way that grabs the reader and makes them want to read more. This is also your opportunity to layout the main themes and question you’ll be exploring. Some ways to hook your reader: Declarative sentences, hypothetical situations, surprising statements and quotations, stories and vignettes, recreated conversations — anything that will make a reader stop scrolling and say, “This sounds interesting, I want to find out more.”
Teach: The main body of your op-ed should be devoted to teaching your point of view. Use historical examples, vignettes, personal testimony, statistics, research findings; you can also take this opportunity to explain your background and why you’re writing this piece.
Ask: Have a clear ask ready at the end. It could be as general as advocating for something like registering to vote or eating less meat; it could be as specific as urging the passage or defeat of specific legislation.
A few op-eds that follow this model with the parts outlined (click each one to read in full):
A Murder Case Tests Alexa’s Devotion to Your Privacy by Gerald Sauer
“Think of the assistants like really smart dogs. They’re always ready to react to specific commands. Also like a really smart dog, they can remember those commands forever. And this concept of an always-on, always-connected, always-remembering listening device is where it gets intriguing.”
What I love about it:
Hook: Sauer starts off with a declarative sentence, “THE AMAZON ECHO can seem like your best friend — until it betrays you.” In one sentence, you have the opinion piece summed up with the major themes. If you can’t think of such a sentence immediately, write your entire piece and then figure out what the opening sentence should be based on the rest of the piece.
Teach: Sauer uses history, legal examples, descriptions of current digital assistants beyond the Echo, analogous cases with smartphones and other listening devices, and reasonable hypothetical examples — all to teach us of the dangers of these wonderful assistants
Ask: Rather than a specific call-to-action such as “go vote,” it’s more of a consumer beware, “Millions of people are putting digital assistants in their lives with no clue about the potential havoc this Trojan horse could bring. Based on what Amazon and Google say about their devices, everyone needs to recognize the unresolved legal issues involving this new technology. Beware of who, or what, is listening.”
Questions to think about:
It’s Time to Talk About Death by Sunita Puri, M.D.
“Americans are not good at talking about death. But we need to be prepared for when, not if, illness will strike. The coronavirus is accelerating this need.”
What I love about it:
Hook: Dr. Puri opens with a scene where she brings the reader into one of the discussions she had with numerous patients — replete with dialogue and description — as if we were reading a novel.
Teach: The author gives us her own advice on end-of-life discussions and then relates a personal story of having those same discussions with her parents.
Ask: This ask, as opposed to the one in the Wired piece, is a series of questions that provide a guide for the type of questions a person should be asking their parents and loved ones about end-of-life decisions. Relevant 3rd party resources are also given.
Questions to think about:
I’m a Developer. I Won’t Teach My Kids to Code, and Neither Should You. by Joe Morgan
“There are no books that teach you how to solve a problem no one has seen before. This is why I don’t want my kids to learn syntax. I want them to learn to solve problems, to dive deep into an issue, to be creative. So how do we teach that?”
What I love about it:
Hook: The hook is the subject of the op-ed itself — why would a coder not want to teach his kids to code? The opening paragraph sets the stage for a current debate: Why is it assumed that we should be teaching young kids the syntax of programming languages?
Teach: The author uses stories from his own life as a developer where he demonstrates that simply knowing the syntax of code isn’t enough — you need to have problem-solving skills, too. He then demonstrates that in action as he relates stories of teaching problem-solving and applying algorithms to fixing wobbly chairs and baking sugar cookies with his kid.
Ask: He heightens the debate to the larger issue of teaching kids creativity and implies that’s what we should be doing instead of just teaching the syntax of programming languages.
“But you’re not only teaching them that. You’re teaching them the world is full of interesting things to discover. You’re showing them how to be passionate and look for that ephemeral sense of quality in everything they do. The best part is that even if they don’t become coders — most shouldn’t and won’t — the same skills can be used in nearly any career, in every hobby, in every life. When we force kids to learn syntax, we reinforce the idea that if something is not a blatantly employable skill, it’s not valuable. Adults can learn syntax. Only kids can learn to embrace curiosity.”
Questions to ask yourself:
This next part of the guide will guide you through the initial ideas and pitch to draft to publication. Have a doc open where you can start generating notes and ideas for your piece.
Do now: Answer the following questions to help brainstorm topic ideas for your op-ed:
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