Reading and Writing Workshop

Writing with Purpose — Opinion and Editorial Writing
Objective
Learn how to express and support personal viewpoints in writing through persuasive opinion pieces and editorials while maintaining ethical and balanced communication.

Session 1: What Is Opinion Writing?
Focus:

• Introduction to opinion and editorial writing
• Distinguishing between fact and opinion
• Understanding audience and purpose

Reading:

• "On Self-Respect" by Joan Didion (inspired discussion; actual text not public domain)
• Public Domain Alternative:
  “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71

Writing Prompt:Write a short opinion piece on a local or school issue you care about. Identify your audience and purpose clearly.

Session 2: Crafting a Persuasive Argument
Focus:

• Structuring arguments (claim, evidence, reasoning)
• Using rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos)
• Avoiding logical fallacies

Reading:

• “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine (select excerpts)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/147

Writing Prompt:Take a stand on a national issue (e.g., education, the environment). Use at least two types of rhetorical appeals to support your stance.

Session 3: Writing Editorials
Focus:

• Structure of a newspaper editorial (introduction, body, solution, conclusion)
• Tone and style for editorials

Reading:

• Editorials from the North American Review (19th-century periodical)
  Browse volumes for editorials:
  https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000050768

Writing Prompt:Write a mock editorial on a historical or contemporary issue using the editorial format.

Session 4: Supporting Viewpoints with Evidence
Focus:

• Incorporating factual support (data, expert opinions, historical references)
• Quoting and paraphrasing ethically
• Citing sources

Reading:

• “The Federalist Papers” No. 10 by James Madison (example of argument with evidence)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1404

Writing Prompt:Revise a previous opinion piece to include three types of evidence. Practice citing at least one historical or factual source.

Session 5: Understanding Editorial Ethics and Bias
Focus:

• Recognizing bias and propaganda
• Editorial standards and responsibilities
• Ethics of persuasion and fair representation

Reading:

• “The Influence of the Press” from The Idler, by Samuel Johnson
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11768

Writing Prompt:Analyze an editorial for bias and rewrite it from a more balanced perspective.

Session 6: Peer Review and Final Draft
​Focus:

• Peer editing for clarity, evidence, and ethical considerations
• Finalizing a polished opinion or editorial piece

Activity:

• Students exchange and peer review drafts using a rubric focusing on structure, tone, evidence, and bias.

Final Submission:Submit a final editorial piece ready for publication (class blog, school paper, or a mock editorial section).