There are many types of articles that we can find, for example news coverage, features, figures, guide articles, etc. Although each type of article has specific characteristics, there are common characteristics. From assembling forms, conducting research to writing and editing your writing, by writing articles you can share important and interesting information with readers.
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Part 1 of 5: Forming Writing Ideas
Step 1. Identify the type of article you are going to write
While thinking about the topic and focus of writing, also think about the type of article that would be most appropriate to convey the ideas you are going to communicate. Some types of articles are better suited to address certain topics. Here are some common article types:
- News: This type of article presents facts about events that have recently occurred or will occur soon. Usually articles of this type contain answers to six basic questions: who, what, where, when, and how.
- Features: This type of article displays information in a more creative and descriptive way than a typical news article. Feature articles can cover a character, an event, a place, or other topics.
- Editorial: This article shows the author's opinion on a topic or debate. The aim is to lead the readers to have a certain view on the topic being discussed.
- Guidance: This type of article provides clear instructions and information on how to do something.
- Character: This type of article presents information about a person, with information that the author usually obtains through interviews and background research.
Step 2. Study and consider your topic over and over again
Make a list of possible topics. You may want to write about immigration or organic food or animal shelters in your location. In order to write short but well-flowing articles, you need to narrow the topic. This will result in a more specific discussion that you can write about, making the content of the article stronger. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What attracted you to this topic?
- What are some things about this topic that people usually ignore?
- What do you want people to know about this topic?
- For example, if you want to write about organic food farming, you might say to yourself, "I think it's important to understand the meaning of organic labels on food packaging. Learning what these labels mean can be very confusing."
Step 3. Choose a topic that interests you the most
You should really care about the topic you choose to write about. Your enthusiasm will show in the writing and will be much stronger in terms of engaging the readers.
Your goal is to generate sufficient interest from the readers, so that they consider the discussion in your article worthy of attention
Step 4. Do some preliminary research
If you don't quite understand your topic yet (for example, if you need to write about a specific topic as a coursework), you need to start by doing some preliminary research.
- Enter keywords into online search engines. This can lead you to other existing sources of writing on your topic. These resources can also help you come up with ideas for different approaches to the topic you are writing about.
- Read as much as you can about the topic you are going to write about. Visit the nearest library. Read books, articles in magazines, published interviews, online features and news, blogs and data/information archives. One data source option that is not freely available online is the Gale Directory of Databases, which is available in book form (in libraries) or online.
Step 5. Find a unique writing point of view
Once you've decided on a topic to write about and narrowed it down to being more specific, think about how you can make this piece different from the rest. If you are writing an article on a topic that has been discussed in other people's writings, try to make your writing unique in terms of the approach used. You must enrich the existing discussion, not just present the same subject again.
For example, if you're writing on the topic of organic food, you could focus on someone who is shopping for groceries but doesn't understand the meaning of the organic label they come across. Use opening anecdotes to bring the reader into the core discussion, summing up your unique writing idea or point of view. The usual English term for this method is " nut graph"
Step 6. Sharpen your argument
In most articles, the author presents his arguments. This is the core part of an article. Then, the writer presents the evidence to support his argument. To create high-quality articles, you need high-quality arguments as well. Once you have determined the right point of view, you can give your argument a "crushing blow" in your presentation.
- For example, if you are writing about people learning to understand the meaning of organic food labels, your general argument might be that the public needs to be aware that many companies are abusing the way they label organic food. This creates dishonest product promotion practices. Another possible topic is this: it is very important to know who owns the local media you consume. If a large media company owns a local newspaper in your area, you may notice that there is very little news about your area and thus you will not get enough information about the people in your area.
- Write your argument in one sentence only. Paste this sentence near the computer or work area where you write. This will help you stay focused when you start writing articles.
Part 2 of 5: Researching Writing Ideas
Step 1. Study your topic and argument
Start researching your specific topic and argument. Do more research than just the initial research you've done before. Learn the underlying issues involved, their advantages and disadvantages, expert views, and more.
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The best writers have a way of thinking that is always looking for information. They try to find initial information (original and unpublished) as well as secondary information on the topic of writing.
- Initial information can take the form of transcripts from legislative hearings, lawsuits archives, regional property indexes with folio numbering, letters of dismissal from military agencies, and photographs. Other sources may include written government records which can be found in the National Archives or the special archives section of a local or college library, insurance policies, company financial statements, and personal background reports.
- Secondary information includes data archives, books, abstractions, articles in any language, bibliography, dissertations and other published reference material.
- You can find a lot of information online or in the library. You can also conduct interviews, watch documentaries, or look for other sources.
Step 2. Gather supporting evidence
Begin to find ways you can support your overall argument. You should collect at least 3-5 strong examples that support your overall argument.
You collect as many examples and supporting evidence as you can. As you gather more evidence, you will be able to prioritize certain pieces of evidence among them, which are the strongest examples
Step 3. Use trusted sources of information
Be careful when browsing the internet. Retrieve information only from trusted sources, such as reputable newspapers, experts in the field, official government websites, or official college websites. Look for information that contains subsequent sources of information, as these can support any statement your source makes. You can also look for printed sources of information, but with the same precautions.
Don't assume that a single source is completely accurate. You need several unrelated sources to get a complete understanding
Step 4. Keep track of your research sources
Write down the sources of information you get, so you can list those sources. Usually, bibliography information that contains information sources includes the author's name, article title, media title, year, page number, and publisher's name.
Choose a citation system as soon as possible, so that you can collect citation information in the correct format. Some common citation systems include "MLA", "APA", and "Chicago"
Step 5. Don't plagiarize
If you take information from a source, be careful when citing it. Sometimes, people copy text from the source and then insert it into a document as a special note in their article. This actually risks being an act of plagiarism, because the copied text is mixed with the author's own writing. Make sure that you are very careful not to give the impression of taking someone else's writing.
Do not copy any text directly from any source. Rewrite this text in your own words, and include the information that this text is a quote
Part 3 of 5: Writing Outlines
Step 1. Determine the length of your article
Does this article need to have a certain number of words? Do you have a page limit? Think about the types of topics covered and how much writing space they need. Also, think about how much you need to write about this topic so that the discussion is quite complete.
Step 2. Think of the readers
Think about who will read your article. You need to consider your reading level, area of interest, expectations, etc. about readers.
For example, if you are writing an article aimed at readers from an academic background in a particular field, your tone and approach will be much different than if you were writing an article for an entertainment magazine
Step 3. Outline your article
Before you start writing, write an outline for your article. This outline will show where each piece of information is in your writing. In addition, the outline will also help you to see which parts of the text still need more information.
- You can start outlining with a five-paragraph system. This outline allocates one paragraph to contain the introduction, three paragraphs to contain supporting evidence, and one paragraph to contain the conclusion. As you begin to incorporate information into this template, you may also find that this structure is not entirely appropriate for your article.
- You may also find that this outline structure is not suitable for certain types of articles. For example, if you're writing a character article about a character, the format you'll use may be different.
Step 4. Select citations and other evidence to support your discussion
Very likely, you will find information that actually supports what you are saying. This could be a person's statement, or a specific sentence in another article that is very relevant. Choose the most appropriate part that supports it, then use it in your own writing. Include this quote in your outline.
- Make sure that you include sources and use quotation marks for any sections that are not your own writing. For example, you might write: A spokesperson for the dairy company Si White said, “Our milk is labeled organic because our cows only eat organic grass.”
- Don't overuse quotes. Be selective in using quotes. If you use too many citations, readers may think that you are just trying to fulfill your writing because you can't write enough yourself within the required length limit.
Part 4 of 5: Article Writing
Step 1. Write an introduction
A good introductory paragraph is very important to grab the reader's interest. In the first few sentences, the reader will determine whether or not your entire article is worth reading. There are several ways to write an article introduction, and here are some of them:
- Telling anecdotes
- Using quotes from interview subjects
- Show statistical data
- Presenting facts straight from true stories.
Step 2. Follow the flow of your outline
You've created an outline for your article, and this will help you focus on writing strong, flowing articles. Outlines can also help you remember the connection between details. It will also help you to remember how certain quotations support certain parts of your writing.
However, don't be too rigid. Sometimes when you write, the plot flows well in a different direction than your outline flow. Be prepared to change the direction of the writing if it will be better that way
Step 3. Provide appropriate context
Don't assume that your readers understand the topic as well as you do. Think of the background information your readers might need to understand the topic of the article. According to the type of article, maybe you can add a paragraph containing background information before moving on to supporting evidence. Alternatively, you can also include this background information in context throughout the article.
Step 4. Provide a good description
Use a clear and descriptive style of language to give readers an accurate picture of what you are writing. Choose descriptive verbs and appropriate adjectives.
For example, you might write about a person shopping and having trouble understanding organic food labels: “Cecep is concentrating on the peanut butter jars on the shelf in front of him. The words 'organic' and 'natural' danced before his eyes. Each jar uses a different label. It felt like each jar was shouting: 'Choose me!' 'Buy me!' The words on the labels seemed to float in his eyes, and in the end Cecep walked away without buying any peanut butter."
Step 5. Use connecting words as transitions
Connect different ideas with connecting words, so your article flows well as a whole. Begin each paragraph with a linking word that links it to the previous paragraph.
For example, use words like "however…", "another important thing is…", "must be aware that…"
Step 6. Pay attention to the style, structure, and tone of the writing
You'll want to write in a style, structure and tone that fits the type of article you're writing. Understand your readers to determine the best way to present your information to them.
- For example, a news article in a newspaper needs to present information in a narrative and chronological style. This article should be written in a direct and easy to understand style. However, academic articles should be written in a more formal style. Guide articles, on the other hand, can be written in a more casual style.
- When writing articles, use a strong "headline" at the beginning of each paragraph, to move the reader forward in the discussion. Also, vary the length of your sentences, using both short and long sentences. If each of your sentences contains roughly the same number of words, your reader may be "snapped" by this steady rhythm and "fall asleep" from boredom. Sentences that are short and seem truncated will give the reader the impression that the author is writing an advertisement, not an article that has been carefully prepared.
Step 7. Write a conclusion that impresses the reader
Close your article with a dynamic conclusion. Depending on the type of your article, this can be a conclusion that moves readers. For example, if you are writing an opinion piece about food labeling, you need to move your readers to learn and understand more about food labels.
- If you started with the anecdotes or statistics in the introduction, consider bringing the reader back to the anecdotes or statistics in this introduction in the conclusion.
- Conclusions are often strongest when they show a brief, final concrete example that opens new minds to the reader. Conclusions should be "forward" thinking, directing the reader to a later time, so that the reader feels "thirst" to find out more or follow up on what they read.
Step 8. Consider providing additional material
You can help readers understand your topic more clearly by adding pictures or other complementary material.
- For example, you can add photos, diagrams, or infographics to illustrate your topic.
- You can also underline or expand on one of the main points in a box format at the side of the text. This is extra writing that digs deeper into the topics covered. For example, if you are writing about a film festival in your city, you can add a short review of one of the films in the box next to the main article. This additional type of writing is usually short (containing 50-75 words, depending on the available space in the available media).
- Remember, this material is supplementary only. This means that your article should be able to stand on its own without it. Your writing should be understandable, clear, and focused, even without the addition of diagrams, photos or other images.
Part 5 of 5: Finishing the Writing
Step 1. Edit your writing
Take the time to edit and improve your articles. If possible, wait a day or two before you edit. This helps to give you the distance you need. This way, you will be able to read your articles with fresh eyes, like reading them for the first time.
- Pay close attention to the main argument or subject you wrote. Have any passages in your article supported this core argument? Are there paragraphs that are completely unrelated? If so, the paragraph should be discarded or rewritten to support the main argument.
- Remove any contradictory information, or point out contradictions in your article that are indeed relevant to your readers.
- Rewrite existing sections, or all of them, if necessary. This kind of improvement is common with every type of article, so you don't have to feel like a failure or incapable of being a good writer.
Step 2. Comb back and find grammatical errors
Even if your article is very well written, its content won't be worth paying attention to if it contains a lot of grammatical or spelling errors. Make sure that your writing has a strong impact, by clearing it of grammatical errors.
It is recommended that you print your article. Check again with a pen or pencil to find the error. Then, go back and fix those errors with the computer
Step 3. Read your article aloud yourself
Listen for tone, rhythm, sentence length, plot, content or grammatical errors, and the arguments presented. Imagine that this article is a piece of musical art, presenting an audio experience, then use your ear to observe its qualities, strengths, and weaknesses.
It's natural for you to find your own writing or grammatical errors when reading it aloud like this, and this can lessen a negative response from others who read it later
Step 4. Have other people read your article
Try showing your article to a friend, teacher, or other person you trust to read it. Does this person understand the subject you are writing about? Can he follow your writing line of thought?
This person may also find errors and discrepancies that you didn't see before
Step 5. Write the title
Give a proper title for your article. The title should be short and direct, with no more than ten words, if possible. The title should be action-oriented and show why the article is important to read. The title must also provoke the interest of the reader to continue reading the contents of the article.
If you want to add more information, add a subtitle. This is a secondary sentence that supports your main title
Tips
- Make sure that you spend enough time writing articles. Otherwise, you'll be rushing at the last second trying to come up with writing that doesn't represent your true abilities.
- To learn more about using data archives and preliminary information research tools, visit the Investigative Journalists and Editors web or read The Investigative Reporter's Handbook: A Guide to Documents, Databases and Techniques, Fifth Edition. Authors: Brant Houston and Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's 2009). Both are in English.
- If you like writing articles, look for writing jobs that are widely spread on the internet, so that your hobby can make money at the same time. One of the websites that recruit article writers is Contentesia.
Warning
If you're writing for a newspaper or magazine, don't do it for free. Ask how much they pay freelancers before you start writing. Wages will usually be calculated based on the number of words or the number of articles. Your writing is valuable. Writing for free makes it difficult for professional writers to make a living. But if you're just starting out, volunteering and writing articles for small communities, student publications or promotional magazines are great ways to build your portfolio
Resources and Reference
- https://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/journalism/types.html
- https://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/five_par.htm
- https://www.nytimes.com/learning/students/writing/voices.html
- https://www.jscc.edu/five-paragraph-essay/
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/166662
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