Policy Memo over the topic of Opening of schools and gyms
Briefing Note/ Policy Memo Instructions
• A two stage assignment process (same topic for both)
Stage 1: Briefing Note
• 10%
• I will return these with extensive comments, make sure to use the comments to improve for the Policy Memo
Stage 2: Policy Memo
• 15%
BRIEFING NOTE INSTRUCTIONS
What is a Briefing Note?
• A short document (1-2 pages) that explains the essential elements of an issue to a public official (usually an elected official)
• These are actually used as an information tool in governments all over the world
Where to start?
• Start with a newspaper article that talks about some kind of problem that a government needs to address
• MUST BE FROM 2020***
• Can be from any government anywhere in the world (federal, regional, or municipal governments from any country)
• Pretend that I am the elected official, and I have asked you, my policy analyst, to present a briefing note to me on the problem you have identified
Briefing Note Structure (Use these actual subheadings)
• 1. Key Terms
• Define any key terms (assume that I don’t know much about the issue).
• Use academic definitions where possible (from academic articles or textbooks), not from Wikipedia or basic dictionaries
• It is up to you to identify the most relevant key terms
• No more than 4 terms
• 2. Issue/Problem
• Problem definition (define what the problem is)
• 3. Background
• Contextual information that helps better understand the issue. For example, what is the history of the problem? Is it an old problem, or something totally new?
• 4. Key Considerations
• Relevance, importance
• Explain why it is important and relevant (as a policy maker, why should I care?) Think in terms of what we have learned- what is the social importance? Political importance?
• 5. Solutions
• Provide 3 Policy Instruments that could be used to help with the problem
• Not much research is needed yet here for the Briefing Note, just explain what each instrument is and how it is supposed to work.
A Good Briefing Note Should Be:
• 1. Short (1-2 pages)
• 2. Concise (Only include the essential elements)
• 3. Clear (organized with an easy flow)
• 4. Reliable (information is accurate)
• 5. Readable (use sub headings, space between sections, etc.)
POLICY MEMO
What is a policy memo?
• A Policy Memo is an extended version of a Briefing Note (4-5 pages)
• Same topic, same sections, with some additions and edits
Assume, as the policy maker, that I have read your Briefing Note, I agree that this issue needs to be dealt with, and I have asked you to provide me with more information
How to make a policy memo:
• Step 1: Make any corrections to the Briefing Note based on the comments I have provided
• For instance, additional terms that need to be defined, parts of the problem that need to be clarified
• Step 2: Policy Instruments: Provide extensive research on the three policy instruments you suggested. Use academic sources to discuss such instruments.
• For instance, have these been used elsewhere and were they successful?
• Step 3: New Section: Strategic Recommendation
• As the policy analyst, you are going to use your expertise to make a suggestion on which instrument you think is best out of the 3. Explain why.
Policy Memo Structure (Use these subheadings)
• 1. Key Terms
• 2. Issue
• 3. Background
• 4. Key Considerations
• 5. Solutions
• Policy Instruments will now have extensive research compared to the Briefing Note which only has a basic definition of the instrument.
• 6. Strategic Recommendation
• New section not in the Briefing Note. Now that you have completed research into the three instruments from the previous section, you choose one of them as the best and explain why you think it is the best instrument to deal with this problem.
Policy Memo Grading
• If the Policy Memo is the exact same as the Briefing Note (ie- no changes made), you will receive a 0
• Grade will be based on
• Changes made to improve using comments
• Research must be done into the policy instruments
• Much of your grade will be based on the policy instruments
• Accuracy of information
• Quality of research
• A minimum of 3 academic sources required
• Each policy instrument should have about 200-300 words of research
