Opening (about 150 words). A Perspectives piece begins here, with a specific scene, a surprising fact, or a recent event that puts the reader in the middle of the issue. A strong opening is concrete. It names a place, a decision, a date, or a person who is affected, instead of starting with a broad statement about technology and society. The writer has one or two short paragraphs to earn the reader’s attention before the argument begins.
By the end of the opening, the writer states their position in one clear sentence, so readers never have to guess what the piece argues. A strong thesis often reads like a recommendation: this agency should act, this rule should change, or this tool should wait until a condition is met. Everything after this paragraph supports that one sentence.
Why this matters now
Why it matters (about 200 words). This section tells readers who is affected and why the issue is urgent today rather than someday. Writers usually point to a trigger: a vote that is scheduled, a contract that is about to be signed, a court ruling, a product launch, or a deadline for public comment. Naming the trigger makes the piece timely, and timely pieces get priority from our editors.
The second half of this section describes the people with the most at stake, especially people who are rarely asked for their views. It explains what changes for them in practice, using plain language and short sentences. Every fact or statistic in this section links directly to its source in the text, because Tech × Society does not use footnotes. Links let readers check the evidence for themselves and show editors where each claim comes from.
If a term needs explaining, such as an acronym, a legal standard, or a technical method, this is the place to define it in a single clause. Readers are smart but busy, and most are not specialists in this exact topic.
The main argument
Main argument (about 250 words). This is the writer’s strongest point, supported by the best evidence they have. Each paragraph in this section makes one claim in its first sentence and then backs it up with an example, a number, a short quote, or a comparison. Readers who skim only the first sentence of each paragraph should still be able to follow the argument from start to finish.
Good evidence here is specific. Instead of saying that a policy has worked elsewhere, the writer names the place, describes what happened, and links to a report or news story about it. Instead of saying that many people are affected, the writer gives a number and explains where it comes from. Specific evidence is more persuasive than general claims, and it is also much easier for an editor to verify before publication.
This section is also where the writer shows why their view matters more than the status quo. What goes wrong if nothing changes? Who pays the cost, and how soon? A clear answer to those questions turns an opinion into an argument that readers can weigh for themselves.
Writers should keep paragraphs short in this section, usually three to five sentences each. Long blocks of text are hard to read on a phone, and most readers will see this piece on a small screen. A useful habit is to read each paragraph aloud and cut any sentence that repeats an earlier point or exists only to sound impressive.
A pull quote sits here: one sentence from the piece that captures the whole argument and works on its own.
A second line of argument
Second argument (about 250 words). Here the writer takes a different angle on the same position. If the main argument was about safety, this one might be about cost, fairness, history, or how another city, country, or university handled the same problem. A second angle shows readers that the conclusion holds up from more than one direction, which makes the case much harder to dismiss.
Writers often use a comparison in this section. A short example of how a similar rule worked somewhere else, or how a similar technology was rolled out and later reversed, gives readers a model to picture. Comparisons work best when they are brief and clearly linked to a source.
This section should still connect back to the thesis. A useful test for the writer is to ask, at the end of each paragraph, whether it makes the main recommendation more convincing. If it does not, it probably belongs in a different piece.
Writers can also draw on their own experience as students in this section when it is relevant. A first-hand observation about how a policy plays out on campus, in a classroom, or in a neighborhood can make an argument vivid. Personal experience works best as one piece of evidence alongside sources that readers can check, not as a replacement for them.
The strongest objection
Counterargument (about 150 words). Every Perspectives piece names the best argument against its own position and answers it fairly. The writer states the objection the way a thoughtful opponent would, not as a weak version that is easy to knock down. Then they explain why their recommendation still holds, or how it can be adjusted to address the concern. Pieces that take objections seriously are more persuasive, and they show readers the writer has thought the issue through rather than only collecting points on one side.
If the objection reveals a real weakness, the writer says so and explains how the recommendation could be adjusted. Acknowledging limits builds trust with readers, including readers who start out disagreeing. Editors will often ask a writer to strengthen this section during the editing process, because it is the part skeptical readers look at most closely.
What should happen next
Recommendations (about 150 words). This section turns the argument into action. The writer says who should do what, and by when. Strong recommendations name the specific agency, company, campus office, committee, or group of lawmakers responsible, and describe steps that are realistic for them to take. Numbered steps or a short sequence of actions work well here.
Writers can also suggest what readers themselves can do, such as commenting on a proposed rule, asking a student government to take up the issue, or requesting a public record.
Closing (about 50 words). The final paragraph returns to the opening scene or restates the stakes in one or two sentences. It does not introduce new arguments. Readers should finish the piece knowing exactly what the writer wants to happen and why.
