Sample Letter to the Editor

Writing a letter to the editor of a local or national newspaper or magazine in response to a recent article is an effective way to make your voice heard. 

There’s no guarantee that your letter will be published, but there’s a sure-fire way that it won’t be: if you don’t write it. So, when you see an article about research or funding and have something to say, write it quickly and send it to the editors of your local media outlet.  

Editors Can’t Publish Letters They Don’t Receive

The newspaper or magazine’s website and editorial page should have contact information and guidelines for how to submit a letter. The New York Times’ letters editor has written a tip sheet (subscription required) for ways to make your letter more publishable, offering advice that applies to most publications. In general, keep your letter short, include your full contact information, submit it soon after the original article—ideally within 24 hours—and make one point, clearly and with conviction.  

No-cost, accessible science communications resources for writing letters to the editor include this webpage from the Coalition for the Life Sciences, as well as this toolkit (PDF) from the American Geophysical Union. 

Sample Letter to the Editor

This letter was published in The New York Times to make the case for continued, bipartisan support for the NIH.