There are quite a few resources available on how to write a policy brief, but I still find that students struggle somewhat with this assignment, in part because it is such a different writing task than they usually face. A part of me always feels a little bit guilty for assigning it, too, because the truth is that I just don’t find them all that useful in actual lobbying; at least on the issues on which I mostly advocate, policymakers are more interested in the political ramifications than a set of factual arguments. So I found myself using talking points, lists of endorsers, myth v. fact sheets, and other materials, slightly less dense with facts. Still, I think that the process of researching and writing a policy brief is a very important one for policy advocates; it forces us to familiarize ourselves with the existing information from multiple viewpoints, to hone our statement of the social problem, to clearly articulate why our policy option is the best one, and to identify those messages that will be the most concise and coherent as we move forward with the campaign. And, of course, instructors (like me!) keep assigning policy briefs, so students will need to keep grappling with this exercise, at least in the classroom setting.
Some thoughts on what makes a good policy brief, based on my research into others’ instructions for policy brief preparation, my work preparing dozens of briefs, and my review of many more dozens of student and organizational briefs.
The best policy briefs:
Students often tell me that they want more examples of policy briefs, so, this year, I obtained permission from some of my students to share their well-done policy briefs. The links to these documents are below, along with my comments about what I find particularly appealing about each one, and the authors’ names. All of these students received their MSW degrees from the University of Kansas in May 2009–congratulations to them, and I look forward to seeing more of their advocacy as their careers progress! Thank you, too, for allowing me to share these.
If anyone has a policy brief that they’d like to share, for comments or critique, please do so. Do you have resources that you’ve found particularly helpful in preparing policy briefs? When have you used a policy brief in an advocacy context to great effect?
Sarah Brokenleg: This one is visually very easy to read and attractive. She makes her main points early and repeats them, and she covers the three main policy subtopics. My favorite part about this brief is that she refutes the main counterargument without giving it any real emphasis, which I think is very effective.
Statewide Smoking Ban
Kavya Velagapudi and April Rand: They were very specific about their audience–Lawrence-area policymakers, and the brief is very targeted towards them. I like that they highlighted the programs that would be negatively affected without turning it into a ‘policymaking by anecdote’ situation. We debated the inclusion of the revenue-enhancement alternatives, because I tend to argue that we should never be the ones backed into figuring out where to come up with the money, but they felt, from their conversations with decision-makers, that they really needed to put something on the table, and I respect that.
Alcohol Tax Revenues
Adam Timberlake, Susila Gabbert, Anna Giles: Adam did the design work on this, and what I like most about this particular brief is that I know that it is an issue that is very close to his heart, but he presents it in a way that is compelling but still very professional and well-researched. At the end, he makes the three main points related to his policy brief. He doesn’t back away from the ‘soft’ benefit of healthier communities, but he doesn’t rely solely on that. And I love the way that he incorporated the housing in the background.
Housing Trust Fund
Thank you so much for posting this! I’m an undergraduate trying to make a brief for a local non-profit. This was immensely helpful.
I’m so glad! How’s it going?
Hello Melinda K. Lewis,
I need help and would like to ask if you know of any organization in the Northern NJ area who could assist me in writing a policy brief. My area of interest is in helping children. I am looking for a person who would mentor me in this process and hopefully submit a brief. Is there any person or organization who could assist me at this time -Feb 21-March 11, 2012-? clifital@aol.com.
Hello! I don’t know of an organization in your area–I’m really not familiar with it at all. Are you looking to submit a brief to the state legislature? What policy are you trying to influence? What is your defined social problem? I’d say, in general, you want to find an organization working in your area of interest and see what kind of policy research might help them, so that they would be willing to help you with the process, since there aren’t really any organizations I know of (besides higher educational institutions) that are in the business of helping with policy briefs more generally. But many organizations would be eager for a dedicated volunteer researcher, and willing to invest in mentoring you in that case. Good luck!
What organizations would you say would be eager for a volunteer resesarcher who would be willing to invest in mentoring me? I have to write a policy brief. The topic should be about human development or health related. I am interested in helping children and seniors. I am open to any other policy brief suggestions. Would you be willing to review anything I came up with? Do you write or teach about policy briefs? Thank you for getting back to me. I am hoping that you can provide more specifics about which organizations or possibly who could assist me in creating a policy brief.
I don’t know of any organizations in your area, but I think finding some that are working in your issue interest would be the place to start. I’m in Kansas and not familiar with the landscape there. And I’m sorry, but I teach a full load of classes in addition to my consulting practice, so I don’t have time to review other students’ work. But hopefully you found some content here that is helpful!
Your advice and comments on what a Policy Brief should contain and the examples given were very helpful in my summer Social Work classes. We’ve been through writing the analysis, but I was stumped mainly because of the very different format and presentation of the information needed. Seeing ” a policy brief in action”‘ as in your examples, gave me a perspective on how to put my information together in the most effective manner. Thank you! And Thank You to your writers for letting us view their Policy Briefs.
I’m so glad that you found them helpful! I would think that approaching an assignment like a policy brief could be particularly challenging in a summer class format; I’ve always found that condensed schedule to be a bit of a struggle! I’m always looking for updated examples of good policy briefs, so if any of your students would like to submit theirs, I’d be happy to include them in a future update post. Thank you again for your feedback!
Thanks for writing this article. This is an area I am very interested – I wonder if you have ever come across any research testing the effectiveness of the policy brief format for changing Knowledge, attitudes, Behaviour or the reader?
Thanks for your comment! That’s a great question–I think the evidence is clear that information alone (as is usually contained in a policy brief) is insufficient to change people’s beliefs and, certainly, their behavior. The value of a policy brief, then, or of any other policy communication, is in how it can be used by advocates as a tool to do what we know does work–connect new information to what people already value, and show how there is an imperative for action (along a certain approach) in order to preserve those valued aims/goods. We fail not only when a given policy brief is inadequate, then, but when we presume that simply providing people with information will, in any real way, be sufficient to shape what they think and believe and do. How have you used policy briefs as part of a persuasive strategy in a policy campaign?
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