Assignment: Letter to the Editor
Name:
Your assignment is to write a letter about a political issue to the editor of your local
newspaper.
Read the letters to the editor for a few days to get an idea of the different types of letters
that people write. You will notice that letters to the editor have a wide variety of
purposes--for example, responding to a previous letter or article, attempting to persuade
the readers of the paper to do something, a letter in support of a candidate or bill, or
against a regulation.
Decide what purpose you want your letter to serve, and write an appropriate letter. You
may have to do some research to learn the relevant details about the issue.
Be clear, make a good argument, and use relevant and appropriate information to prove
your point. Be specific--if you are responding to a previous letter or article, include the
title, author, and date (and possibly page number). If you are mentioning a specific bill
or law, include the appropriate number or title.
Writing in the 1st person ("I think....") is acceptable, and your letter should have no
major grammatical or spelling errors. You are responsible for obtaining and following
the newspaper’s guidelines and instructions.
Identify the newspaper to which you are writing, and be sure to sign your letter.
Note: If you are feeling ambitious, you may write to a bigger paper, such as the New
York Times or USA Today, or to a newsmagazine such as Time or Newsweek. But, the
school newspaper does not count. Your letter will be evaluated by the following criteria:
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selection of an appropriate topic
how well you make your argument
use of relevant and appropriate information to prove your point
clear, effective writing style with no grammatical or spelling errors
following instructions and guidelines