Reference no: EM133966372
Question: Policy briefs are a key tool to present research and recommendations to a non-specialized audience. They serve as a vehicle for providing evidence-based policy advice to help readers make informed decisions.
A strong policy brief distills research findings in plain language and draws clear links to policy initiatives. The best policy briefs are clear and concise stand-alone documents that focus on a single topic. Your reliable and affordable assignment help starts today!
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Planning your policy brief
Purpose, audience, content, and structure are the vital elements of an influential policy brief.
Purpose
A policy brief should inform readers of a particular issue, suggest possible policy options, and make recommendations. Be upfront about your purpose from the start, maintain a laser focus on your direction, and link every paragraph back to your purpose. Given the conciseness of most policy briefs, do not discuss tangential information. A convincing policy brief should communicate the urgency of the issue and focus on the benefits and advantages of following your policy advice.
Tips:
Write out your purpose before drafting a brief, refer to it often, and ensure that everything you write serves that purpose.
The intention of policy briefs is to offer your readers advice on how to solve a specific problem, so stay focused on this target alone.
Audience
Policy briefs should be accessible and targeted to a specific audience. Before you begin writing, establish whom your prospective readers are, their interest in and level of knowledge of the subject, the information they will need to make a decision, and how open they are to your recommendations.
Content
A policy brief should be clear, succinct, and focus on a single topic.
Tips:
Do not exceed 1,500 words or two pages in length. Define the purpose of your policy brief up front.
Include only essential information. Avoid tangents or being overly descriptive about methodology.
Clearly identify the salient points that support your goal.
Draft a new purpose-driven policy brief instead of summarizing or cutting down an existing report.
Use plain language.
Structure
The structure should lead the reader from problem to solution. Clearly structure your policy brief before you start writing and use section headings to guide your content. Be clear about your policy recommendations and how they are supported by evidence.
The structure should be audience-specific and reflect each audience's interests. For example, a focus on evidence is relevant for researchers, but a government official may value brevity and clear analysis of policy impacts.
Tip:
Some typical section headings are summary, context, analysis/discussion, considerations, conclusion/recommendation.