Overview
Overview – What is an Op-Ed?
This assignment is designed to help students build confidence in developing and communicating opinions over matters related to environmental politics. Students will write a 750-word op-ed on a relatively current environmental issue in Canada. You choose an environmental issue that interests you.
Topic is - “Title: The Arctic Is Melting—And So Is Canada’s Future”,
Title: “The Arctic Is Melting—And So Is Canada’s Future”
Below are instructions and guidelines that should help you develop your op-ed.
Weight: 15%
Due: Week 4 (1st June)
INSTRUCTIONS
What is an Op-Ed
An op-ed piece derives its name from originally having appeared opposite the editorial page in a newspaper.
Today, the term is used more widely to represent a column that represents the strong, informed, and focused opinion of the writer on an issue of relevance to a targeted audience.
What are the key features of an Op-Ed?
It has a clearly defined point of view. It represents clarity of thinking.
It contains the strong, unique voice of the writer.
What should I ask myself before starting to write my Op-Ed?
Do I have a clear point to make? What is it?
Who cares?
Who is it that you are trying to convince? Is there substance to my argument?
How do I find a theme and Discuss Issues?
Every successful op-ed piece or column must have a clearly defined theme and issues to examine. Theme: the person, place, issue, incident, or thing that is the primary focus of the column.
The Issue is usually stated in the first paragraph. What’s the big, overarching idea of the column? What’s your point?
Why is your point important?
The theme may appear early in the piece, or it may appear later when it may also serve as a turning point into a deeper level of argument.
What ty pe of research is involved in an Op-Ed?
While columns and op-ed pieces allow writers to include their own voice and express an opinion, to be successful the columns must be grounded in solid research. Research involves acquiring facts, quotations, citations, and data from sources and personal observation.
Research also allows a reader to include sensory data (touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight) into a column. There are two basic methods of research:
Field research: going to the scene, interviews, legwork; primary materials, observations, and knowledge.
Library, academic, and internet research: using secondary materials, including graphs, charts, and scholarly articles.
Openings – What is their importance?
The first line of an op-ed is crucial. The opening “hook” may grab the reader’s attention with a strong claim, or a surprising fact, that entices the reader into reading more. The opening also briefly lays the foundation for your argument.
BODY PARAGRAH – ONE ARGUMENT IN ONE PARGARH (NO MULTIPLE ARGUMENT IN SINGLE PARAGRAPH.
ONE ARGUMENT IN 1 PARGARPH
Endings – What are the critical aspects?
Every good column and op-ed piece needs a strong ending which has some basic requirements.
It echoes or answers points raised introduction.
Has been foreshadowed by preceding thematic statements.
Is the last and often most memorable detail.
Contains a final epiphany and calls the reader to action.
There is one basic type of endings. An “closed ending” states rather than suggests a conclusion. The closed ending in which the point of the piece is resolved is by far the most used.
Voice – Passive or Active?
Having a strong voice is critical to a successful column or op-ed piece. Columns are most typically conversational in tone, so you can imagine yourself have a conversation with your reader as you write (a short, focused conversation). But the range of voice used in columns can be wide: contemplative, conversational, descriptive, experienced, informative, informed, introspective, observant, plaintive, reportorial, self-effacing, sophisticated, humorous, among many other possibilities.
Sometimes what voice you use is driven by the publication for which you are writing. A good method of perfecting your voice is to get in the habit of reading your column or op-ed out loud. Doing so gives you a clear sense of how your piece might sound – what your voice may come off as – to your intended reader.
Grading Criteria AND Rubric
The following are the criteria by which your op-ed will be graded. Please ensure that you adhere to each one as much as you can to produce the most effective and efficient piece of writing possible.
You must provide a word count.
Failure to do so will result in a 1% penalty.
The op-ed is written clearly and concisely, and the reader is able to follow with relative ease.
The argument presented is highly coherent and unified around key points important to the topic of the op-ed
The op-ed is written in a manner that is accessible by a wide audience. This is critical as you are making a point on an issue/topic and your goal is to convince as many different people as possible of the validity of your perspective.
The voice and tone of your op-ed is critical – In some cases a conversational tone will suffice. In others you may need a more authoritative approach in presenting your ideas.
Ensure everything is properly quoted and paraphrased for the purposes of accuracy.
Make sure you properly credit all sources. As this is not a “formal essay”, you do not need to include formal citations.
Check the consistency of your opinion throughout your op-ed.
If you contradict yourself in this piece of writing, it is a problem.
And guidelines and you have to answer to this i am proving the grading rubrics everything write in own words and do not use AI AND CHATGPT AS MAM HAS THE SOFTAWARE TO DETECT.EACH AND EVERY LINE and each and every single word.
Use proper transitions words.
Length- 750 words exactly. (NOT EVEN 749 AND NOT EVEN 751 WORDS)
Formatting
Length- 750 words exactly.
Your Paper should be double-spaced and use a well-readable
Font- Times New Roman and should be size 12. Margins should be 1 inch/2.54cm on the sides and 1.25 inches/3.17cm on the top and bottom.
All pages must be numbered.
Whole paper should have a title that reflects the content of the paper.
The title page should include the paper’s title
Op-Ed
POLS*3370 Environmental Politics and Governance
Criteria | Clarity and Presentation points | Criterion Score |
Expectations | The OP-ED is written clearly and concisely. It is written in a manner that is accessible by a wide audience. It is free of jargon and is "matter of fact" in its presentation. The tone of the Op-Ed respects the seriousness of the topic that is being discussed - i.e., being flippant and/or humorous when discussing MAID would not be considered an appropriate approach to such an emotive and controversial policy. | / 20 |
Criteria | Argument Development points | Criterion Score |
Criteria Expectations | Argument Development points | Criterion Score |
The Op-Ed presents a coherent and unified discussion on key points important to the topic at hand. The writer is well- positioned to convince as many different people as possible of their point of view. The thesis — the main argument — is the most important part of an op-ed. Is the argument easy to locate and understand? Can you identify a two or three sentence takeaway from the Op-Ed? If it is not clear, the piece has not met the minimum expectations for an Op-Ed. | / 40 |
Criteria | Sources and Referencing points | Criterion Score |
Criteria Expectations | Sources and Referencing points | Criterion Score |
The Op-Ed correctly credits all sources that were used in the discussion. The author correctly represents the views of other people/organizations. The Op-Ed uses credible and timely sources - i.e., if you are discussing gun control in Canada, you should be using current data to support your position. Outdated data will not support your argument. | / 20 |
Criteria | Op-Ed Takeaways points | Criterion Score |
Criteria Expectations | Op-Ed Takeaways points | Criterion Score |
Does the Op-Ed accomplish one or more of the following goals for a reader: Help people more deeply understand a topic in the news. Help them understand what it means for them. Equip them with arguments they can employ when talking about the subject. Elevate ideas that help them think about the world differently. Expose them to topics they might not have heard about. Help them better articulate their own perspective. Help them understand perspectives different from their own. | / 20 |
How do I Cite my References?
This is not a formal academic paper, such as an essay which requires you to both cite information when you use it [Such as an intext citation and a footnote] and provide the source in a bibliography.
Rather, if you are using information from a source in your op-ed you can simply cite the author's name in the sentence or in paratheses and then just provide the full reference in a bibliography at the end.
This type of writing is conversational and persuasive in style, so it is critical to ensure that there is a
succinctness and flow. So, bogging downyour writing with excessive sourcing may prevent you from doing that.
Here is a working example of an actual sentence from an op-ed I wrote.
"One of the key drawbacks on climate change regulation that Ostrom draws to our attention is the issue of risk."
PLEASE NOTE, I ONLY REFERRED TO THE AUTHOR'S NAME IN MY SENTENCE. IN MY BIBLIOGRAPHY I PROVIDED THE FULL CITATION.
***IF THIS APPROACH MAKES YOU SQUEAMISH AND MAKES YOU THINK YOU WILL FLUNK A TURNITIN SCORE, YOU CAN WRITE THE SAME SENTENCE LIKE THIS.
“One of the key drawbacks on climate change regulation that Ostrom (2006) draws to our
attention is the issue of risk.
***DOES THIS APPROACH STILL FREAK YOU OUT? OKAY, HERE YOU GO, EXTRA WORK FOR YOU.
One of the key drawbacks on climate change regulation that Ostrom (2006: P143) draws to our attention is the issue of risk
What citation style do I use?
You are required to use the APA 7 OWL PURDE Citation Style that is used by the Department of Political science.
Please see the link below for the Department of Political Science’s style guide.
FOLLOW IT very strictly !!!
What should my sources look like?
Total 8 references only 8sources should be there and only 8 sources should be used.
You can only use credible sources as described by me .
Your sources can be a mix of academic, media, think tank and carefully selected social media analyses by credible accounts.
Use only Academic peer review sources and peer reviewed empirical sources .(exactly 8 sources only peer reviewed sources and peer reviewed empirical sources has to be used).
TOTAL 8 SOURCES SHOULD BE THERE (USE LATEST SOURCES FROM 2021 ONWARDS ONLY).
And guidelines and you have to answer to this i am proving the grading rubrics everything write in own words and do not use AI AND CHATGPT AS MAM HAS THE SOFTAWARE TO DETECT.EACH AND EVERY LINE and each and every single word.
You do not have to use any course readings for this assignment. Let me be clear, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE ANY COURSE READINGS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.
DOCX 1 I AM ATATCHING IS THE OPENED ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
DOCX-2 IS THE PDF OF THE GRADING RUBRIC(VERY VERY IMPORTANT)
DOCX 3 Writing Guide for this course and this assignment. (VERY VERY IMPORTANT).
follow BOTH THE grading rubric written as well as attached docx is very important.