Getting the Word Out in Your Community Using Opinion Pieces

By: Jennifer Zeitzer
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Writing opinion pieces, such as opinion editorials (op-eds) and letters to the editor (LTEs), is a powerful way for scientists and members of the research community to communicate the value and importance of their science to their local communities. Op-eds and LTEs also help readers understand how investments in research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and other federal science agencies lead to advances in our understanding of complex diseases, new treatments and cures, and better health outcomes. Writing a strong op-ed/LTE that has a significant chance of being published is a bit of an art form, but there are many resources online that provide guidance and tips. 

One excellent resource is The Op-Ed Project, which offers information on how to get started, questions to ask when writing an op-ed, and a very helpful document providing the basic structure for an op-ed. The Op-Ed Project also has suggestions for successfully pitching a piece and how to find submission information for local newspapers.

The McClintock Letters initiative offers inspiration on crafting compelling LTEs related to biomedical research. Organized by graduate students at Cornell University, the McClintock Letters launched earlier this year with the goal of publishing at least 1,000 LTEs in local newspapers across the United States to draw attention to proposed cuts in funding for federal science agencies and policies of the new administration that are harming the ability to advance biomedical research. Published op-eds can be viewed here and are organized by state. FASEB supported the McClintock Letters and encourages scientists to continue submitting opinion pieces, especially as members of Congress are poised to make key decisions about NIH and NSF funding in September.