When we write a letter to the editor, we try to persuade others to agree with our point of view. There are a number of different techniques and devices we may use to try to get people to see our side of an issue. We may appeal to the reader's feelings, we may use humour, we may use facts and statistics, and we may use devices such as hyperbole and metaphor.
A letter to the editor has to be quite short, usually around 450–500 words. This is because newspapers have limited space, so you need to phrase your opinion as clearly and briefly as possible. Keeping it short will also make it more likely that readers take the time to read your text.
There are many different ways to write a letter to the editor, so the examples here should not be regarded as a recipe for how to write such letters, rather they sould be considered examples of the genre. Each of the two examples have strengths and flaws, and each might be improved upon by making different choices.
Example 1:
We Need More Information About Career Opportunities
Title:
Start by having a title that tells the reader what your text will be about. Traditionally, letters to the editor would start with Dear Sir/ Madam, but today it is more common to use a title.
A title should make the reader want to read on. What do you think of this title? Could it be written in a more interesting way?
At my senior high school, we have a career day once a year. We also have an advisor with whom we can make an appointment to discuss what we want to study, or what kind of job we want in the future. We have access to websites devoted to answering questions about education and careers. While it is good that we have these things, it is far from enough. A study by the Norwegian Student Union and Universitas from 2020 shows that 41% of students are dissatisfied with the career advice they got in senior high school (Larsen, 2020).
First paragraph:
The first paragraph is the introduction. Begin by stating clearly what you will be discussing in your text. This is where the reader decides if they want to read on, so make it clear and interesting.
Using the first-person perspective is common in 'letters to the editor'. If it is important to you to be taken seriously, you can establish ethos by using more objective language.
Here, the introduction states clearly what the text will focus on, and the author quotes from a study. Using facts and figures helps establish ethos.
The author has included a reference to a source in parenthesis. This is not strictly necessary when writing a letter to the editor, but it contributes to making the text seem more professional and serious. This is an example of ethos appeal.
Not many of my friends know what they want to do when they finish school. Those who do know, are usually following in the footsteps of a relative. They are interested in those jobs because they already know a lot about them. In a study, 78% of university and college students stated that they chose their studies based on their interest in the subject. 30% stated that they made their choice because they believed they had a talent for, or good abilities in the subject (Skalleberg & Lausten, 2014). It is impossible to know whether you have a talent for something, or an interest in something, unless you already know quite a bit about the subject. That is why information is so important.
When we receive a presentation from a university or college, they usually bring a list of different subjects to study and mention some of the jobs these subjects may lead to. Sometimes we get to meet representatives from different professions, but they are usually professions we are already familiar with. What about all the jobs we know nothing about? If we make an appointment with the advisor, it is usually because we have a specific plan, for example that we want to study in the United States, or we want to know what grades we need in order to get into a specific college.
I once met a man whose job it was to check the lenses used in astronomy observatories around the world. I had never heard of that before. What education do you need to get that job? My advisor had no idea. I only know about that job by accident. I am sure there are lots and lots of other jobs like that; jobs many people would want to do if they only knew they existed. Around 30% of Norwegians who start higher education drop out (Larsen, 2020). I think that number would be lower if we were able to provide more and better information about the opportunities that are out there.
Paragraph two, three, and four:
Between the introduction and the conclusion, we find the body paragraphs. They make up the core of the text. Here, you discuss the position you expressed in the introduction. Give reasons for your opinion. If you have facts or statistics to support your arguments, present them here.
In these paragraphs, the author discusses the claim made in the introduction. There is a mix of statistical information and anecdotal evidence.
The author uses facts and statistics, which is an example of logos appeal.
I think we need to focus on our future careers much earlier than we do today. If, instead of having one career day per year, we had one lesson per week devoted to introducing different professions, I think that would be a step in the right direction. I also think this should begin much earlier than senior high school. If we learned about different jobs already in primary school, we would have time to think, dream, and become motivated. I also think we should visit workplaces, and see what different jobs are really like. That way, we would make better, more informed choices about what we want to do with our lives. The dropout rates would go down, and people would be much happier with their work and, by extension, with their lives.
Final paragraph:
The final paragraph should be a conclusion that rounds off the text. Avoid just listing up what you have already said; instead, show the reader what the different points and arguments you have made leads to.
In the conclusion, the author offers a solution to the issue that has been discussed in the text.
Sources:
Sources are usually not included in a 'letter to the editor', but if you have made reference to specific sources, you should state that clearly in the text, and they should be included in a source list.
Example 2:
I Don't Want to Help People
Title:
This title is interesting, but is it clear what the text will be about?
Does it make you want to read on?
I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, but I know that I don’t want to help people. I have no interest in making the world a better place, and every day, my school tells me that I am wrong. School tells us to be self-realising, which is presented as the same as being self-sacrificing. I think schools indoctrinate children into taking low-paying, smelly, difficult jobs by telling them that they will be making the world a better place. In my opinion, schools should provide more neutral information about what jobs are out there for us.
First paragraph:
The text has an introduction that elaborates on the statement made in the title. The introduction makes a sensationalist claim about what types of jobs schools inform pupils about. The introduction also makes it clear what this text will focus on.
This text is quite informal, if you want to be taken seriously, it is usually a good idea to use more formal language and include facts that support your argument.
The introduction makes it clear that the author is dissatisfied with the way schools encourage children to look for jobs that involve making a difference and helping people.
From the day we start school and all the way through high school, we are asked 'what can you do to make the world a better place?' All of my classmates answer: "I want a job where I can help people". They want to be nurses, vets, doctors, social workers – one or two even want to become teachers – as if thirteen+ years of school wasn’t enough. I don’t want to be a nurse. I am afraid of contagious illnesses, and bad smells make me hurl. Vet is out of the question for much the same reasons, and besides, I love animals, so why would I choose a job where I would most days be euthanising them? People bore me, so social work is out of the question. And becoming a teacher, well, where to begin? I don’t know why anyone would do that to themselves.
Some of my friends want to save the world. They want to go to Africa and work in health care or education. I know one girl who wants to spend her life cleaning oil off seabirds or stop pollution in other ways. I don’t want to do any of that. I want to be safe and comfortable. I think Africa would be fine if foreign companies were made to pay fair taxes for the assets stripped from the continent each year. And I really do not see the appeal of spending your life cold and wet, sleeping in tents on polluted beaches.
I am sure nurses go to bed feeling good about themselves, or they would if they hadn’t been so overworked and underfunded that every day is all about compromises. I am sure that teachers feel on top of the world when they actually get through to students. I am sure it is very satisfying to turn an oil-soaked seagull back into an ear-piercing, feathered ball of greed; I just have no interest in doing it. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t go about kicking puppies, and if I found an animal that was hurt, I’d bring it to the vet – but that’s where my involvement would end.
Paragraphs two, three, and four:
In this text, the author uses the body paragraphs to expand on the idea that schools push students into choosing certain career paths. The author only offers anecdotal evidence by telling the readers about what their classmates want for their futures.
Subjective reasons why the author does not want to help others are also explored.
Subjective texts can be entertaining, but if you really want to persuade people that your opinion is correct, it is better to supplement personal experience with objective, verifiable facts.
What I do want is to make money. I want to buy a home. I want a cabin by the sea. I want to get married and raise a family. I never want to worry about my food budget, or if I can afford winter shoes and clothes. I want to eat at nice restaurants, and I want to take nice holidays. I want to be safe and comfortable. That’s it. That's the kind of job I am interested in. That's what I would like to get information about from my school. Tell me what job will get me there, and I’ll take it. If what I do helps people or makes the world better in some way, that’s a bonus, but for me it’s not a requirement.
Final paragraph:
In this conclusion the author explains what they want instead of a career helping people. This rounds off the text, without repeating what has been said before.
Sources:
Larsen, K., 2020, "Dårlig karriereveiledning på videregående kan være grunnen til økt frafall", Universitas. https://universitas.no/sak/66854/darlig-karriereveiledning-pa-videregaende-kan-vare/
Gjerde, Skalleberg, A.& Lausten, E., 2014, "Derfor velger de unge studiene de gjør", Dagens Næringsliv. Link to article on Dagens Næringsliv's website.