respond to an editorial or an article with a persuasive argument in a letter to the editor outlining your views on the issue being discussed and its relevance to nursing

You will respond to an editorial or an article with a persuasive argument in a letter to the editor outlining your views on the issue being

discussed and its relevance to nursing. You may agree or disagree with the editor/writer’s comments. Choose a topic of your own based on an

article in the newspaper or an article that you have read. The issue may affect nursing practice, ability to engage with patients and

families, nursing education, how systems structure health/access to health, etc. The letter should be concise and logically written. It

should clearly express your opinion and reaction to the editorial/article, use relevant scholarly resources to support your opinion,

demonstrate an analysis of the situation in relation to nursing, and provide recommendation(s). You may wish to submit your letter to the

journal/publication when completed.

Instructions:
1. Read resources listed below on how to write an effective letter to the editor.
2. Read the sample letters provided and other letters written to the editor from journals, newspapers etc.
3. Select an editorial/article that you have attached with your assignment(your assignment will not be graded without the attached

article).
4. Decide on the viewpoint from which you will be writing.
5. Review literature on the topic to support why your topic is an issue.
6. Offer recommendations and find current research to support why your recommendation(s) would be effective.
7. Construct your letter:
a. In your first paragraph, identify your objective for writing the letter and introduce your concerns for how the issue impacts

nursing. Your position will support, rebut, or give an opinion on the article. Your first paragraph should grab the reader’s attention and

identify the key important points.
b. The next paragraph(s) will contain the bulk of the information where you will expand on your position and support it with relevant

scholarly resources.
c. The second-last paragraph will outline your recommendation(s) supported by scholarly references.
d. The last paragraph is the short conclusion/summary.
8. Put your letter together in a proper-letter-writing form.

Length: The absolute maximum for the letter will be 3 typed, double- spaced pages, APA format for font and margins (references are

separate). Any letters longer than the maximum length will be subject to a penalty. Please remember, this is an exercise in writing clearly

and concisely; therefore, part of the evaluation will be based on the presentation of arguments in a concise, logical, and convincing manner.

Ensure the editorial/article you are basing your Letter to the Editor on is attached! You may include this as an additional page in the same

file (after the letter), or as a second file.

Resources:

1. Tips for Writing Letters to Editor

Girard, N.J. (2005). Thoughts on writing a letter to the editor. AORN Journal, 81(6), 1155-6.

Johnson, C. & Green, B. (2006). Helpful hints: Writing effective letters to the editor.Journal of Manipulative and Physiological

Therapeutics, 29(6), 415-6.

2. Letter to the Editor Examples (2)

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1013895

http://www.longwoods.com/content/21590