From the Newsstands: This story appeared in The Eagle's April 2024 print edition. You can find the digital version here.
When I applied for The Eagle last year, I had a tough decision to make about which section would best suit me. After significant thought, I chose the Opinion section for one main reason: I am incredibly opinionated. Little did I know how much responsibility I would be taking on.
Opinion writing is often dismissed as a simple, easier form of journalism than investigative pieces or other reporting. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Opinion pieces usually begin with an experience, whether noticing that a blue light tower isn’t working, being displaced by a fire in an off-campus apartment or being confronted with the number of calories in food at Terrace Dining Room. Then, we find a way to connect our experiences to the public.
We ask ourselves, is this something other people also worry about? How will people respond to our ideas? What kind of call to action do we want to bring forward?
We need a “why” to write any opinion article. Merely having an opinion isn’t enough to create a responsible and effective piece. Opinion writing is vulnerable and raw. We often tell stories about our lives, hoping to make people feel seen and heard. Even something as simple as challenging an AU policy is vulnerable as we open ourselves up to critiques from the masses. And as I’ve learned, people will critique.
The point of the Opinion section is to publish a variety of viewpoints, and conflicting opinions are a reality. I’ve edited and read numerous pieces that I don’t necessarily agree with, but the point of opinion articles isn’t to force people into agreement—the point is to share differing perspectives.
However, irresponsibility in guest columns published by people who don’t know how to effectively and ethically write opinion pieces is something that concerns me. During my time at The Eagle, I’ve read a handful of irresponsible pieces that fail to consider the task they are taking on.
An AU graduate student published a guest column last December in response to being quoted out of context in a news article from The Eagle. The author spoke about his position on the Israel-Hamas war and managed to offend almost every group he mentioned in the article. He seemed to confuse fact and fiction, stating his opinions as facts without sources to back them up — something that good opinion columnists never do.
The problem with opinion pieces written by people who don’t understand the importance of opinion journalism is that beliefs are not all we put into a piece. Opinion columnists invest in research, hard work and vulnerability to ensure our pieces are ethical, impactful and persuasive to the communities reading them.
Opinion writing is hard, and writers have to work to become good at it. Having an opinion isn’t enough to write a powerful opinion piece. You have to use a journalistic lens, integrity and responsibility while still sharing vulnerable experiences and ideas.
It seems easy enough until you’re the one doing it.
Alana Parker is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and School of Communication and the assistant opinion editor for The Eagle.
This article was edited by Jelinda Montes and Abigail Pritchard. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Isabelle Kravis, Sarah Clayton, Ariana Kavoossi and Romy Hermans.
