Instruction
The Policy Paper. In this paper students are required to identify a policy issue/problem of interest to them, or pertinent to course discussions and readings. This paper will likely be the most research intensive of the assignments as students will need to find very specific information on a range of issues relating to the policy selected. The level of policy specificity will vary among students, although it is probably best to find a middle ground in your selection; in other words, avoid selecting “the economy” or “health care” and focus instead on a policy such as a tax reform or single-payer health provision. The policy paper should include: - A general description of the policy issue/problem and the policy area in which it is situated. o This should include a brief history of the policy issue’s evolution. For example, when did policymakers or media begin discussing this policy problem? - An introduction to the interests involved in the policy area - A discussion of how the policy issue / problem has been defined or framed (this may include a discussion of multiple policy frames by multiple actors) - An analysis of the issue’s salience; is it currently a prominent feature of the policy agenda in the US? (Students should develop a rationale for their argument.) - A discussion of the strategies that groups have used to draw attention to the issue or to pursue their desired policy aims (this might entail describing an informational campaign or lobbying activities used in the past) - A description of the “status quo” regarding the policy issue or problem. - A discussion of any recent developments or recently-proposed changes to the policy Paper structure: The paper should be 7 pages in length and should use at least 10 sources. Sources for this paper will likely be drawn from a variety of source types: scholarly studies, policy reports, political platforms, media reports, websites, etc. Students should use their best judgment in selecting reliable sources and should also avoid over-relying on exclusively online sources.