Dear CSUN community,
Opinion is a critical aspect of reporting as a whole. Opinions, sometimes referred to as op-eds guest columns, guest essays, (or in the case of op-eds written by editors of the publication, editorials) are similar to regular reporting but hold their own key and distinct differences.
The most staggering difference of opinion as a section is that you don’t need to be a reporter to write an opinion piece. For that matter, you don’t even need to be a journalism student.
If you have a passionate opinion, or perhaps you feel that you have a valuable take on a conversation: you can write for the opinion section. If you experienced something you think others can learn from, or you learned from something you don’t want others to repeat: you can write for the opinion section.
Opinion isn’t just one format, instead it is loosely similar to a typical journalistic written article. At its core, any op-ed needs to show me, your editor and your audience, an opinion you want to convince others to agree with, a lesson you want readers to take away or a nuanced commentary on a particular subject. From there, the reins are left in your hands as you write and submit your piece, though it should be written in AP style to the best of your ability.
Op-eds get their name from being “opposite of the editorial page,” way back when newspapers were always printed on paper. Nowadays, op-eds and opinion pieces are found everywhere, from print newspapers and magazines to online publications.
Opinions are important because they’re usually written by people who are not employed by the publication in order to show a broad range of perspectives, experiences and arguments beyond those employed by the publication. In the case of the Daily Sundial, opinion pieces allow us to showcase the experiences of students in different majors and programs ranging beyond the Journalism-CTVA-Art-major group that makes up much of our staff.
From political takes to personal experiences to “Why do people like Sonny Angels,” opinions are invaluable in creating a publication that is inclusive and diverse, representing all facets of our CSUN community and beyond.
Submitting an opinion piece is simple, you can follow this link or find our guest submission form on the Daily Sundial website’s “Opinion” drop-down menu. Not every piece is suitable for our publication, and that is okay. Please feel free to submit them anyway, though submissions are ultimately published at the discretion of the Daily Sundial editing staff.
As the opinion editor, I want to read your experiences, I want you to share the things you feel passionate about. If you have any other questions about opinion, you’d like to pitch an idea to the editor or you’d like to submit a guest cartoon, please email opinion@csun.edu. I look forward to working with you.
From,
Your Opinion Editor, Jaya Roberts