ABSTRACT
One of the quickest ways to create or advance national dialogue about an issue important to us is by writing an opinion article for a major newspaper, magazine, or news Web site. It can be the most direct, meaningful, and safest media option we can employ. Opinion articles are often confused with editorials and sometimes even with letters to the editor. An excellent example of the power of an opinion article to introduce new ideas and have a meaningful impact on public discourse is an essay written by Robert Zemsky, education professor and chairman of the Learning Alliance for Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania. The writing style for an opinion article is pretty constant. The exercise of writing the opinion article, and the research that went into this piece, also positioned the president among his peers, alumni, and other key audiences to become a leading voice on this important national issue.
