Criminal Justice Subject Guide

Research Tools & Resources in Criminal Justice

Find Public Opinion & Existing Argument

Using Editorials

Editorials are a great way to find reasoned opinions on current controversial topics. Use these specialized searches to find full-text editorials in the library's databases and on the Web.

Editorial and Opinion

In addition to news and analysis, newspapers provide communities with opinion on current issues. The Op-Ed pages carry editorials from the newspaper's editorial board, as well as opinion pieces by professionals and community members. 

One Search:

Library Databases

Limit to editorial at document type.

Limiting to editorials in the databases
In Academic Search Complete

In this database you can search using a keyword, and then add "editorials" in as an actual Subject Term (selecting "SU Subject Terms" from the "Select a Field (optional)" dropdown as shown in the image below:

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limit the search to Editorials by clicking on Subect Terms-SU from the drop down menu that appears after the search box

In ProQuest

In this database, you can use the "Document Type" limiter as outlined in the text and images below:

  • First, type in your search terms
    • Be sure to use quotation marks around specific terms to search the terms as a single concept, rather than two independent words
  • Here you can also limit to "Full-text" - so you will only see results for articles that you can immediately download. 
  • Based on your topic, you may need to also limit by date to find the most recent articles. Choose an appropriate date range.

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screenshot of Proquest, showing the search boxes, highlighting the "full-text" box to check, and the date range option to narrow your results if needed. 

  • Then, as shown in the image below, scroll down on the advanced search page to limit by "Document Type" - choosing "Editorials" from the options before searching.

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screenshot of the "document type" limiting option on the advanced search page of ProQuest

News vs. Editorials & Opinion Pieces

News Versus Editorials and Opinion Pieces

Newspapers serve communities in different ways.

  • They provide news and analysis on local, national, international issues of import.
  • AND they shape and reflect public opinion through the editorial pages.
Features of News Articles and Editorials/Opinion Pieces
News Articles Editorials & Opinion Pieces

•    information is neutral; facts are verifiable. If opinions are expressed, they are the clearly delineated as opinions of experts or interviewees, not the opinion of the author

•    tone and word choice is formal

•    generally offers more than one point of view.  Some of them may be contrasting

•    attempt to advocate, persuade, make recommendations, speculate, analyze

•    opinion is that of the editorial board (editorial) or author (op-eds, opinion columnists, and letters to the editor)

•    tone may be colloquial, angry, praiseworthy, sarcastic...etc.

•    offers one point of view

•    sometimes labeled as: blog, op-ed, letter to the editor, editorial, commentary

Comparing Sources

Compare two Seattle Times articles on student funding.

  • The news article reports on recent layoffs at the local Department of Education office and the negative impact on both students with loan issues and employees who have lost their jobs.
  • The editorial argues that proposed state funding cuts to K-12 education will inequitably hit at-risk communities and ultimately cost more than it saves.

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excerpts from a news article and an editorial about school funding

Read the full text of these articles using the links below