Sources make for a more credible argument
"Avoid vague references to 'some people say' or 'research shows.' Name names. Interview sources yourself." Editorials, Course Page
I thought this information was an important tip to remember when writing an editorial. By including specific sources to help support your editorial point, it will be more valid. Unsupported opinions (especially when put into writing) are difficult to agree with if they are vague and unsupported. In an academic paper or literary research paper where the writer takes a certain stance, he/she must support his/her point. Otherwise, there is no reason to agree with the writer. The same goes for editorials and any writing involving opinions.
I thought this information was an important tip to remember when writing an editorial. By including specific sources to help support your editorial point, it will be more valid. Unsupported opinions (especially when put into writing) are difficult to agree with if they are vague and unsupported. In an academic paper or literary research paper where the writer takes a certain stance, he/she must support his/her point. Otherwise, there is no reason to agree with the writer. The same goes for editorials and any writing involving opinions.
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Recent Comments
Kaitlin Monier on Sources make for a more credible argument: Right, and I like your point a
Jessie Krehlik on Sources make for a more credible argument: Josie brought up a similar poi
Jennifer Prex on Sources make for a more credible argument: I agree. Specific sources alwa
Jessie Krehlik on Sources make for a more credible argument: Josie brought up a similar poi
Jennifer Prex on Sources make for a more credible argument: I agree. Specific sources alwa
I agree. Specific sources always seem to add credibility to any point. This is a way to show that the writer's opinion isn't just his or her own, it is shared by others. This tends to make the argument seem more valid to others.
Josie brought up a similar point in her blog entry. Generalizations really are a pain, and they don't add to the story at all. It make it sound more like a freshman comp paper than anything else. I'm not saying that you shouldn't use "some people say" at all in a paper, but like Jennifer said, it's important to at least identify a few specific sources to back it up.
This information can really be applied to anything, if you think about it--not just editorials.
Right, and I like your point about the generalizations and freshmen comp papers. It is difficult to learn from vague statements. So if a read is unable to get anything from a news story, what's the point of reading it? Also, including credible sources does help to make an opinion appear to be more widely held and legitimate.