Program Overview
Weekly Schedule
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Week 1: Argument Fundamentals
What makes a strong claim. Supporting evidence versus weak support. Common logical fallacies to avoid.
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Week 2: Voice Development
Finding your natural writing style. Balancing personality with credibility. Reading and analyzing distinctive columnists.
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Week 3: Research for Opinion
Finding credible sources. Using data effectively. Avoiding confirmation bias in research.
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Week 4: Counterargument Strategy
Acknowledging opposing views. Steel-manning versus straw-manning. Building stronger cases through engagement.
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Week 5: Fresh Angles
Moving beyond obvious takes. Research techniques for finding new perspectives. Knowing when you have nothing new to say.
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Week 6: Structure and Impact
Organizing opinion pieces for maximum effect. Opening and closing strategies. Paragraph-level editing for punch.
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Week 7: Series Development
Writing multiple pieces on related topics. Building cumulative arguments. Maintaining reader interest across columns.
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Week 8: Portfolio Review
Final column submission. Comprehensive feedback. Discussion of next steps and publication opportunities.
Detailed Information
Opinion writing is harder than it looks. You need to take a clear position, support it with evidence, and do so in a way that engages readers who might disagree. Most amateur opinion writing fails because it mistakes strong feelings for strong arguments.
The foundation is argument construction. You must articulate a specific claim, not just express general frustration. Then you need evidence that actually supports your point. Many columns fail because the writer assumes everyone shares their premises or mistakes anecdotes for data. We practice building arguments that hold up under scrutiny.
Developing your approach
Voice matters more in opinion writing than in straight reporting. Readers return to columnists whose perspective and style they enjoy. But developing a distinctive voice without becoming a caricature takes time. The course includes exercises in finding your natural writing rhythm and identifying what makes your viewpoint worth reading.
You also need to address counterarguments effectively. Ignoring opposing views makes your column weaker, not stronger. We practice steel-manning the other side and then explaining why you still find your position more convincing. This approach produces more persuasive writing than simply dismissing disagreement.
The challenge of fresh angles gets significant attention. Most topics have been covered extensively. Your job is finding something new to say or a perspective that has not been explored. This requires extensive reading, careful thinking, and sometimes waiting until you actually have an original insight rather than rushing to comment.
Skills covered
- Constructing clear, supportable arguments
- Developing a distinctive but credible voice
- Addressing counterarguments fairly and effectively
- Finding original angles on covered topics
- Editing for maximum impact and clarity
The assignments involve writing full opinion pieces on assigned topics. You will receive feedback on argument strength, voice consistency, and persuasive effectiveness. The goal is producing columns that readers engage with seriously, whether they agree or not.