Dear Editor
Critically Engaging with Global Issues and Developing Arguments in a Letter to the Editor Assignment
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12758157 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Justin Robertson (0000-0002-7484-0112, City University of Hong Kong, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 337-356 |
| Publication date | 2022-11-15 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Studies Perspectives (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1528-3577 • E-ISSN: 1528-3585 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1093/isp/ekac017 |
| OpenAlex | W4309187068 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 16 |
This study presents a teaching experiment in which students composed a letter to the editor that drew on political economy analysis with an impressive 40 percent publication rate in a major Asian newspaper. In contrast to a purely mock exercise, or the submission of op-ed pieces with a much lower chance of being published, this activity offered students the opportunity to communicate their positions to the community. Instructors must be attuned to privacy concerns and the article appraises the advantages and disadvantages of four approaches to public writing. Results from a questionnaire and focus groups indicated that this short-form writing helped students to construct a single argument, broaden their global outlook, critically assess media information, and develop a more concise writing style. However, some students struggled to connect their letter to the course content. The article thus ends by proposing ways that the assignment may be modified, such as linking letters to another assignment, supporting students by sharing suggestions from newspaper editors and scholars whose letters are regularly published, and outlining a collaborative writing exercise building on letters to the editor as a foundation. By improving their public writing skills, this assignment may prove useful in the online lives of students
Argument (complex analysis · Construct (python library · Linguistics · Media studies · Newspaper · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Style (visual arts · Writing style · Computer Science · Educator Training and Historical Pedagogy · Innovative Teaching Methodologies in Social Sciences · Medicine · Wikis in Education and Collaboration · History · Law
Using Policy Briefs as Assessment to Integrating Research-Led Employability in Foreign Policy Courses
Teaching effective policy memo writing and infographics in a policy programme
Bravo for Brevity
Preparing Students to Join the Global Public Sphere
Beyond the Lecture Hall
Teaching Theory, Writing Policy
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |