Writing About Issues
Issues are topics that affect many people. They can be current events, or longstanding problems that are difficult to solve. They often spark debate and disagreement. Topics like terrorism, abortion, and globalization are examples of issues. These topics are important research subjects because they teach valuable skills, including how to think critically and present multiple viewpoints on a subject.
An article that focuses on one specific aspect of an overall problem or concern is called an issue-oriented article. These articles provide information and opinion, but also encourage readers to take action. This type of article is not always easy to write, because it requires finding a balance between giving facts and opinions.
The most common issue-oriented articles are news stories and editorials. Other types of articles that can be used to raise awareness about a social problem are list articles, interviews, and troubleshooting articles. For example, a journalist may interview several experts about the COVID-19 pandemic and then present the results of those conversations in an issue-oriented article.
An issue-oriented article must first hook the reader and then keep him interested by providing useful, interesting information. This is why it’s important to structure your article around a clear idea or question that you are trying to answer. For example, a journalist might write an article about why the auto industry is struggling by structuring the article as a comparison of GM and Toyota, then analyzing the data in each company’s favor.