Upload
shkadry
View
241
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
1/34
Introduction to Policy Writingfor Public Policy Professionals
A Pract itioner-led Workshop
Ian Doughty
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
2/34
Who are you, what is policy writing ,and why should I care?In public policy work, if you cant write it or say it, you cant
do it.Writing as communication; communication as the imperativeto action
Background
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
3/34
AgendaIntroduction What this session is and what it isnt
The Ten CommandmentsPolitical Constraints on the Policy Memo
Different Types of Written Products
The Logical Fallacies (if we have time)
Q&A
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
4/34
What this session is:
An introduction to the importance of written communication inpublic discourse and in public decision-making
An introduction to some tools for producing relevant, usefulmaterial in the professional public policy analysis arena
An introduction to some of the various species of writtencommunication that you will be asked to produce on the firstday of your jobs
An introduction to the constraints that surround effective
communication in the public arena
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
5/34
What this session isnt:
An English composition lesson
A guide to how you should write in an academic environmentA guide to how your PEPP instructor wants you to write yourmemos
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
6/34
Academic vs. Professional Policy Writing
PolicyAcademic
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
7/34
The Ten Commandments
1. Thou shall understand the audience for which you are writing2. Thou shall understand the purpose of the memo
3. Thou shall anticipate the overriding goal that is beingadvanced
The three conceptual laws:
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
8/34
Understand what Audience you arewriting the memo for
Easier said than done. Here are some starting points:
Technical vs. non-Technical
Decision Maker vs. Advisor
Single vs. multiple intended recipients
Legislative, Judicial or Executive
Internal vs. External
Remember: You may not be writing for professors anymore
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
9/34
Understand what Purpose the memo ismeant to have
Why are you being asked to write this memo?
To inform a backgrounder, a lit review
To contextualize a legislative history
To analyze a post-mortem, a white paper, a business case
To recommend an option paper
To justify a crisis response, a polit ical strategy memo
To defend talking points, media advisories
Remember: Memo writing is not an exercise in telling
someone everything that you know about a topic.
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
10/34
Understand what the Meta-Goal of thememo isIn what context is this memo needed?
In response to a crisis outside our controlIn response to a self-inflicted crisis
To build support for an initiative
To provide decision-support for an initiativeTo provide political cover
To further an agenda
Whose agenda?
Remember: your writings or those attributed to you will
follow you forever (just ask Glen Poshard or Al Gonzales).
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
11/34
The Ten Commandments
4. Thou shall be concise5. Thou shall proofread
6. Thou shall submit to the editorial process
The grammatical laws:
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
12/34
The Ten Commandments
7. Thou shall not use acronyms without definit ions
8. Thou shall not use overwrought, clichd jargon
9. Thou shall not make assertions that are unsupportable
10. Thou shall anticipate counter-arguments
The stylistic laws:
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
13/34
The Constraints of the Policy Memoin the Political ArenaSocial and Hierarchical Roles
Co-construction of Meaning
Permanence
Exogenous EventsStrategic and Political Landscape
Editorial Process
Principals and Agents
Value of Time and Information
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
14/34
On the Impact of Social and HierarchicalRoles
Example: Is the memo coming out Vice President Cheneys
office, or is it coming out of Vice President Quayles office?Where are you in the hierarchy and how does that impactyour analysis?
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
15/34
On the Co-Construction of Meaning
Example: How will religious conservatives understand a term,
versus how the general public will understand a term.What language you use is only half the battle you mustunderstand how your audience will interpret your words.
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
16/34
On the Permanence of Written Materials
Example: Torture Memos
How will what I write be interpreted in the future?
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
17/34
On the Impact of Exogenous Events
Example: The Hurricane Pam Report on August 15, 2005,
vs. the Hurricane Pam Report on September 15, 2005. Or,Osama Bin Laden Determined to Attack in the United States
External events can change the value, importance,
substance and meaning of policy memos virtually in the blinkof an eye
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
18/34
On the Relevance of the Strategic andPolitical Landscape
Example: Eisenhowers farewell address to the nation;
military-industrial complex.What the landscape looks like dictates how your memo willbe read and understood.
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
19/34
On the Editorial Process
Example: Pre-war intelligence on WMD, and uranium
acquisition in Iraq.Who writes only has as much power as who edits givesthem.
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
20/34
On Principals and Agents
Example: Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and April Glaspie
- US Ambassador to Iraq in 1990Who are you writing for? Are they the principal, or are theyan agent? What is the agents agenda? Is it the same as
yours? As the principals? Does the Agent understand YOURagenda?
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
21/34
On Bureaucracy
Example: FBI, CIA, NSA non-cooperation
How many layers does your memo have to penetrate? Howdo institutional dynamics inhibit information flow?
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
22/34
Several Different Types of WrittenProducts
The Lit Review
The Backgrounder
The Leg History
The White PaperThe One Pager
Talking Points
The Op-Ed
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
23/34
The Source Literature Review
Length 1 or 2 pages
Purpose familiarize yourself and others with the existingsource material
Builds familiarity with the topic and with the information
landscape around it
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
24/34
The Background Paper
Length no more than 5 pages
Purpose familiarize an audience with the topic at hand andwith the major policy controversy involved
Builds familiarity with the topic and with the information
landscape around it
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
25/34
The Legislative History
Length no more than 5 pages
Purpose familiarize an audience with the prior legislativeactivity surrounding the topic at the Federal, State or locallevel
Builds familiarity with the topic and with the informationlandscape around it
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
26/34
The White Paper/Option Paper
Length 2 or 3 pages
Purpose To present an argument and a series of options topursue in support of a proposed course of action
Builds skill in forming arguments and designing strategies
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
27/34
The One Pager
Length 1 page
Purpose to familiarize an executive/decision-maker aboutyour topic in such a way that they can internalize a large bodyof information and speak about it intelligibly on short notice
Builds skill in editing and concision
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
28/34
Media Talking Points
Length to 1 page
Purpose to provide an executive/decision-maker withenough information about your topic to survive a mediaconfrontation with their credibility on the topic intact
Builds concision and strategic thinking skills
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
29/34
The Op-Ed Piece
Length 500 to 1000 words
Purpose to present an argument on your topic in a way thatuses no jargon and that is broadly intelligible to someone withno prior exposure to the information
Builds strategic editing skills; media methods familiarity
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
30/34
The Logical Fallacies
Use them
Dont abuse them
Recognize their use in your opponents work
Recognize their powerRecognize the futility of falling into a argument about them
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
31/34
Fallacies of Relevance
Ad hominem
Appeal to Consequences
Bandwagon
Fallacy of inept argument
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
32/34
Fallacies of Presumption
False Dilemma
Circularity
Post hoc ergo propterhoc
Hes nae a trrrue ScotsmanTu Quoque
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
33/34
Fallacies of Ambiguity
Straw Man
7/29/2019 Introduction to Policy Writing for Public Policy Professionals.pdf
34/34
Suggested ReadingsBardach, E. (2000). A practical guide for policy analysis : the eightfold path to more effective
problem solving. New York, Chatham House Publishers/Seven Bridges Press.
Coplin, William and Michael OLeary. Public Policy Skills. 3rd Ed. Croton-on-Hudson, NY: PolicyStudies Associates, 1998
Martin, Wanda and Scott P. Sanders. Ethics, Audience and the Writing Process: Bringing PublicIssues into the Classroom . Technical Communication Quarterly 3(1994): 147-63
Ramage, John D., and John C. Bean. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings. 4th ed.Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998.
Simon, H. A. (1997). Administrative behavior : a study of decision-making processes inadministrative organizations. New York, Free Press.
Smith, C. F. (2005). Writing public policy : a practical guide to communicating in the policy-makingprocess. New York, Oxford University Press.
Wilson, J. Q. (1989). Bureaucracy : what government agencies do and why they do it . New York,Basic Books.
Wright, J. R. (1996). Interest groups and Congress : lobbying, contributions, and influence. Boston,Al lyn and Bacon.