Bonnie Katzive
Monarch High School
Louisville, CO
Evidence and tone in editorial writing
Overview: The activities in this lesson will help create awareness of how authors create and use
tone and evidence for distinct persuasive situations in their opinion columns and will deepen the
"writer's toolbox" for journalism students.
Rationale: Although many Journalism students also enroll in AP classes where they learn
rhetorical analysis skills, not all do. These skills provide a strong foundation for opinion writing.
This lesson plan introduces them in a journalism context.
Learning Goals: The lesson will enhance attention to detail, critical reading skills, and
persuasive writing strategies for students at all levels of experience. This lesson plan contains
numerous strategies for differentiation, including time frame and distinctions in strategies for
introductory versus experienced journalism students.
Materials needed:
1) Six examples of editorial columns by writers with strong voices and perspectives, such as
Anna Quindlen, David Brooks, Charles Krauthammer, Leonard Pitts, Roger Ebert, Maureen
Dowd, plus one extra example to read together as a model.
2) List of tone words: If time is short, the AP teachers at your school have probably made a list
they can share with you. If you have more time, have students work together to create a list of
words describing different tones in the following categories: irony, neutral, positive, negative.
Here is an example for reference:(there are many posted on the internet):
http://teacherweb.com/CA/WestlakeHighSchool/Schlehner/Tone_Words.pdf.
3) Editorial analysis handout (attached)
Essential Questions:
• How do authors make their opinions compelling to readers?
• How do opinion writers establish credibility?
• How do choices about diction contribute to meaning and to persuading readers?
• How does the type of evidence used contribute to meaning and to persuading readers?
Specific Understandings:
• Tone needs to be calibrated to purpose. To effectively convey an opinion, writers need to win
over readers and tone is a particularly important aspect of diction in writing opinions.
• A writer's choice of evidence must be thoughtful. Writers must match the type of evidence to
the kind of appeal (ethos, logos, pathos) they wish to emphasize. Selection of evidence can
undermine as well as support.
Note: lesson is divided by segment, not by day. It is flexible and could be incorporated into a
longer unit, but could also be executed in 2-4 class periods.
Activity one: Evidence
1) Discuss the idea that we expect persuasive writing to have some authority based on
knowledge, experience, or observation. Why should readers believe someone who has not
established credibility? What are some tools authors use to achieve credibility?
2) What are the different kinds of evidence a columnist might use?
Review the types from the handout and ask students to define each. This can be done as a pairshare or in small groups. Share out to the class, ensuring that there is agreement about how each
evidence types is defined.
3) optional (can cut if you are short on time; keep it if you want to reinforce the connection to
the AP curriculum)
On the board or on poster paper, create three columns for the words ethos, pathos, and logos.
Review the definition of each:
Ethos: credibility, authority, ethics (we believe someone because we find their authority morally
or philosophically compelling or because they are an acknowledged expert)
Logos: logic (we believe someone because of the information and logic presented)
Pathos: emotion (we believe someone because they reach our emotions and elicit common
feeling)
Ask students to place each evidence type in the column where it might best fit. Types may be in
multiple columns. Discuss placement.
4) If students have not yet worked in groups, place in groups of 3-4. Distribute one of four
contrasting columns to each group (groups may have same columns). See list of suggested
columns in references. Ask each group to carefully read the column. They need to analyze the
column for how evidence supports the message using the handout as a tool (they can fill out as a
GoogleDoc while conversing or mark on the handout to projhect on document camera). They
should prepare a short presentation of the column and their analysis to the class. Project each
column so class can read along
To make this part of the lesson shorter or if working with an introductory class, choose two very
different columnists and hand each group the same two columns and the handout. Ask them
to compare the columns and prepare to discuss rather than present. Charles Krauthammer and
Leonard Pitts are often a good contrast in style, content and tone.
5) What are the strengths and weaknesses of different kinds of evidence? Do some types lend
themselves more to particular types of issues? Was the presentation of evidence even-handed or
biased? If it was biased, did the writer make concessions to or acknowledge opposing
viewpoints? Discuss or have each student write a reflection about their learning. Use as
informal assessment.
6) If you choose to have students write their own freestanding column as the final assessment:
Students identify topics and begin research process. As they research, ask them to reflect orally
or in writing on the type of evidence they must collect to make their point most powerfully.
Should they observe? Interview? Research databases? During the planning process, they
should consider how they might use what they discover and whether or not the discoveries are
changing their own opinions. Teacher reviews topic choices and research plans.
Activity two: Tone
1). Discuss: what is tone? why does it matter? (You might discuss bias, engaging readers,
alienating readers, personalizing a column, etc.) Have students build a tone compendium (see
materials) or review the list used by AP classes at your school.
2) Read a model column together. Choose a writer who is expressive so that it is easy to
identify tone (Leonard Pitts is a good choice).
3) Place students in same groups with same columns used for lesson part one on evidence. Have
students mark words, punctuation or phrases that significantly convey tone. Next to each
marking, note the tone conveyed. Ask groups to discuss how tone contributes to the piece. How
might it draw in or alienate readers? Does tone highlight any particular uses of evidence or
statements of argument? Does everyone in your group share the same perceptions of tone?
Make sure to analyze any disagreements.
4) Discuss results of conversation in class. What did groups notice? Were some writers more or
less persuasive because of their diction? Was anyone only addressing readers who already
agreed with them? How could you tell? How did tone affect the message? Reinforce it?
Weaken it?
Assessment
The lesson calls for formative assessments in the form of filling out the handout, sharing ideas
and observations in class, and written or spoken reflections.
The summative assessment will be a written opinion column, which can be done as an in-class
writing (after providing at least a few days of research time) or as an extended writing
assignment.
For introductory Journalism classes, use the following as a summative assessment: select one of
the columns read in class. Read it carefully and determine what questions it raises for you.
Carry out any research needed to gain expertise on the topic and then write your own column on
the topic. You may agree or disagree, but must present your own argument and evidence. You
may only repeat evidence or quote from the original column in order to present an opposing
argument or as an introductory statement.
References:
Association of Opinion Journalists. Resources.
http://www.opinionjournalists.org/index.php?submenu=ResourcesDirectory&src=directory&vie
w=Resources
Harris, Kim. "Learning Types of Editorials -- and Writing Some."
http://www.hsj.org/modules/lesson_plans/detail.cfm.
menu_id=6&submenu_id=&module_id=2&LessonPlanId=418
Provides guiding distinctions about purposes of opinion writing.
Martinez Standring, Suzette. The Art of Column Writing. Portland, Ore.: Marion Street Press.
2007.
Suggested columns for use in the lesson:
Atlas, James. "Class Struggle ink the Sky."The New York Times. July 6, 2013.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/06/class-struggle-in-the-sky/
Brooks, David. "The Romantic Advantage." The New York Times. May 30, 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/opinion/brooks-the-romantic-advantage.html?_r=0
Krauthammer, Charles. "Pushing the Envelope, NSA style." The Washington Post. June 13,
2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-krauthammer-pushing-the-envelopensa-style/2013/06/13/ac1ecf5c-d45f-11e2-8cbe-1bcbee06f8f8_story.html
Pitts, Leonard. "Conning Americans to give up privacy." The Miami Herald. June 11, 2013.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/11/3445890/leonard-pitts-conning-americans.html
Pitts, Leonard. "'Redskins' is an offensive word, period." The Miami Herald. June 6, 2016.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/16/3452113/redskins-is-an-offensive-word.html
Quindlen, Anna. "Homeless." 1998. Available in many composition textbooks.
Quindlen, Anna. "Stuff is Not Salvation." The Daily Beast. december 12, 2008.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/12/12/stuff-is-not-salvation.html
Op-Ed Analysis Discussion Protocol
Group members:
Author of column:_____________________________________________________
Title:______________________________________________ Date published:______________
Name of publication:___________________________________________
URL:________________________________________________________________________
What is the author's overall purpose?
What is the central claim? (Highlight or underline in text, then rewrite in your own words
here):
What kinds of supporting evidence does the writer present? Write examples below, quoting
from text in quotation marks.
Facts
Statistics
Expert testimony
Reasons
Hypothetical Examples
Statistics
Comparisons
Anecdotes
Other (specify)
Evaluate the overall effectiveness of this editorial in meeting its purpose and stating the
author’s case in a compelling way:
Does the author primarily appeal to logic, emotion, or authority (ethos)? Explain.
How does the type of appeal relate to the author's topic?
What research did the author need to do to create this piece?
What was the most compelling piece of evidence and why?
What was the least compelling piece of evidence and why?
What was the most compelling sentence and why?
How persuasive did your group find this piece? Why?
Your group will read the column aloud to the class and then share your thoughts about the
effectiveness of the author's argument and the role of the evidence used to build that
argument.