Writing an opinion piece

If you would like to contribute research results to the public discourse, an opinion piece can be a good option. Here are some suggestions if you are writing your own opinion piece or if you are helping someone else.

An opinion piece is written primarily to influence the reader in a particular direction. This makes it important to clearly express your position on the topic and to support it with facts.

Suggestions for reaching the right audience

Who do you want to reach? Have a clear picture of what you want to achieve with your text (such as changing attitudes) and who your most important target audience is. Think about who has the most influence over “your” issue.
All major organisations monitor news coverage, so make sure to include keywords that are closely related to the individual(s) you want to reach. This allows the text to be found regardless of the newspaper publishing the article.
Feel free to collaborate with major names to support your argument. The more signatories your article has, the more likely it is to be published and read.
Think about where you want to have it published. National newspapers, such as DN Debatt, offer legitimacy and status, but it is often difficult to be accepted for publication. Check whether your intended newspaper has any character limits for opinion pieces or other guidelines. Being flexible in terms of publication dates improves your chances of being published. Larger newspapers often require exclusivity, meaning that the opinion piece may not be published elsewhere in advance. However, you can always share it through other channels after it has been published. It may be easier to have your piece published in local newspapers. You will be most successful by adapting the article to the region you want to publish in, perhaps with relevant local facts from the research you are relying on for your argument.

Best time to publish

You have the best chance of success if you can comment on current news events or be part of an already ongoing discussion. This requires agility in every aspect prior to publication.
If the article is based on your own material, you can increase your chances of publication by giving the editors flexibility in choosing the date of publication to avoid conflicts with higher priority articles.

Formulate the text optimally

Have a narrow topic. Choose a message and focus on it. Be concrete and straight to the point.
The language should be easy to understand. Avoid difficult words, long sentences and technical terms.
Relate to something that is already topical in the discussion.
Focus on what is important: the results that support your position or reasoning in the article. In the article, link to the research article or report you base your argument on.

Organise the text well

Headline: Spend time on the headline – make it short and punchy. Newspaper editors often write their own headlines, but suggesting a headline is a good way of steering the editor in the right direction.
Lead paragraph: Clearly present your position and any aspects that are new.
Introduction: Early in the text, make it clear what you want or your opinion.
Argument: Explain your thinking, respond to any potential counterarguments. Rely on your facts.
Summary/conclusion: Summarise the arguments, restate your position and pull it together.

Present your research on umu.se

The University's website is one of the most important channels for research communications. Find out more about how to work with different aspects of the web: