You, too, may have to deal with writing an educational article during your studies or afterwards. As the writer of an educational article, you write in the service of the readers. After all, you must make a number of facts transparent to other persons or authorities in the informative article. What should the writer of an educational article pay attention to? Various points of interest are reviewed.
Characteristic educational article
An educational article is not written simply to provide readers with facts on a particular topic. It is characteristic that insight is also provided into backgrounds and coherence. The facts provided and the insight gained enable the readers of the article to take their own standpoint independently and as much as possible in accordance with their own interests (for example with regard to the (possible) reception of asylum seekers in the municipality).
The profile of the target audience
The readers of an informative article are central. The writer serves his readers. After all, after reading his article, the readers of his article are able to take their own standpoint as independently and consciously as possible. But who are the readers? Three characteristics are important:
- Age. Very young or very old readers require adapted language. For a target group such as young adults, it may be possible to establish that readers are sensitive to fashionable language.
- Education or expertise. This reader characteristic is very important for an informative article. An assessment of the existing professional knowledge determines which technical terms the writer will still have to explain.
- Motivation or interest. Why does the reader want to read the text? What benefit does reading the text bring? What good is it for him? These questions cannot always be answered immediately. However, they do matter. By formulating the interests of his (potential) target group in his text, the writer certainly attracts the attention of his (potential) readers.
Answering the above questions may not have resulted in a clear profile of his target group. If the writer of an article knows in which magazine his article will be published, it is advisable to consult a copy of the magazine. Paying attention to the topics covered, the advertisements, the headlines above the articles and the language used, will almost certainly give a better picture of the (potential) readers of his article.
Issue
Once the writer has identified a topic (for example, nuclear waste storage), it is advisable to formulate a problem statement. Does the writer want to discuss the problems that may be encountered in the storage of nuclear waste, or does he want to argue the safest storage of nuclear waste? A well-formulated problem statement ‘guides’ the selection of the information on the subject collected by the writer.
It is not uncommon for the problem definition and material to interact. The material found (for example, a critical report on the possible dangers of the storage of nuclear waste) may be reason to adjust the problem definition.
Layout
There are no strict rules for an educational article that determine how an article should be classified. A division in paragraphs (and with longer articles in paragraphs) gives an external structure to a text. Topical phrases (often the first sentence of a paragraph) make it clear what the paragraph is about. Subheadings are also important. They represent the subject of a particular section of text.
The format of an educational article can be partly determined by the target group. Parts of the text that are likely to appeal strongly to the target group can be placed in a prominent place (for example at the beginning of the article).
Popularize
A writer who wants to write an article for a large target group will have to popularize his article. Not everyone in the intended target group has (sufficient) knowledge of the technical terms used. The knowledge from a particular field can be popularized by translating that knowledge into common, everyday language. The content must not be violated in popularizing. How can one popularize a text?
- Translation of technical terms. A technical term can often be replaced by a synonym (screen instead of monitor). If no synonym is available, a technical term must be described
- Explain concepts, processes and techniques. For example, a reader who has read that a binary system is the same as a binary system also wants to know how that binary system works.
- Select information. An informative article for a large target group is about the broad outlines and the most important applications. Readers should not be bothered with all sorts of technical details.
- Interpret the results. Readers often have too little background knowledge to process all kinds of numerical data and to oversee the consequences of research results. The writer may try to create a framework to help readers better understand the information presented, for example by referring to a current problem (for example, the consequences of nuclear waste dumping in developing countries), or referring to a current discussion (for example, recently asked questions on this subject in the House of Representatives).
- Commenting on the information. When it comes to a topic that is the focus of attention (for example, the reception of a growing number of asylum seekers in the Netherlands in 2015), it makes sense to include opinions for and against. No doubt that helps readers in their decision making. It is important to clearly separate this part of the text from the factual (objective) information contained in the text.
- Concretize information. By incorporating examples or equations in a text, a text containing abstract information can be made more understandable. For example, sound waves can be compared to ripples on the surface of the water. A complicated subsidy scheme can be clarified by showing what the scheme means for a particular exemplary family.
The writer must choose his examples carefully. After all, they must have an enlightening effect. Moreover, they should not distract too much from the line of the argument.
The opening of the article
The beginning of an article is very important. The reader must be ‘enticed’ to take in the complicated or technical information in an educational article. How can the writer achieve that?
- The current opening. The writer can refer to current events if the topic has been in the news recently. Then he adds new information.
- The content in a nutshell. The writer can also start by stating a summary in the introduction. The reader can then determine whether the article is of interest to him.
- The anecdotal opening. The writer can start with a story that is illustrative of the topic he is going to cover.
- Quote or catchy statement. A nice first sentence sets the tone of the article. The writer does not have to come up with everything himself. Perhaps he could use a quote from another (well-known) writer.