An op-ed article, short for "opposite the editorial page," is a written prose piece that expresses the strong, informed, and focused opinion of an author or entity with no affiliation with the publications editorial board. Originally, op-eds appeared physically opposite the editorial page in a newspaper, but today the term is used more widely to represent opinion-based articles in various print and online publications. Op-eds are often written by subject-matter experts, politicians, journalists, or other individuals with something interesting to say, providing a diversity of voices and perspectives for readers.
Op-ed articles serve the purpose of discussing and providing arguments on issues of relevance to the readers of the newspaper or magazine. They are not written by employees of the publication and are sometimes contracted out to freelancers for ghostwriting. Op-eds should be backed with facts and can appear in most print and online versions of newspapers, creating an opportunity for authors to express their thoughts on various topics.
