An editorial is a piece of opinion writing that speaks to a timely topic. It is meant to inform and inspire discussion and debate.
You’ll typically find editorials on the opinion page of a newspaper. They differ from standard news articles, which often provide only the facts of an event or story. Generally, editorials are written from an educated perspective by someone who has knowledge of the topic. This may include a professional from an industry or organization, a political figure, or an ordinary citizen.
Some of the most popular editorial topics are criticism, congratulation or praise, and awareness. Criticism editorials present opinions that disagree with the status quo on a particular issue, while congratulation or praise editorials give recognition to people or organizations that have done well.
Other types of editorials include letters to the editor, which are short pieces that respond to a recent article or news item in a publication. They can also be a response to a public statement made by the publication.
Many small media publications have a dedicated editorial team, who work to write opinions and comments on a regular basis. Larger media publications may have multiple columnists that each write about a specific subject. An editorial can also be an entire Special Issue of a journal, that focuses on one topic with the help of guest editors.
