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PSPL202 -STATE or LOCAL POLICY BRIEF ASSIGNMENT
For this assignment you will select a policy in Pennsylvania related to your own choice of policy areas. There
are different approaches to this. You can select a single law or policy and analyze that policy. Or, you can
identify a problem that needs a new policy or a change in policy. We will work on choosing and developing
your topic, and many of our discussions and assignments will relate to the compilation of this project. When
you are finished you will have a 5 page maximum written issue brief on your selected issue. You will do all
relevant research, compilation and editing to create a simple, solid, clear 3-5 page issue brief to be provided to
non-experts who are charged with making policy decisions about the issue. To write a solid brief, please expect
to write up to eight or more pages of text, then pare it down to the essentials.
STEP I
Review the materials on policy briefs, including the short explanatory videos and review the sample briefs
provided in the course materials. (Do a content search of “brief” and the sub-module will appear)
STEP II
Select a policy area. You have done this/will do this as part of Discussion Prompt in Module three. You might
already have an idea in mind, or you can review the prompt for the discussion for ideas on where to look. In
addition, module four is bursting with materials on the following policy areas: Education, Crime, Health,
Environment, Energy & Civil Rights. Make sure that your focus is State, County or Municipal level policy.
STEP III
Select a law/policy from Pennsylvania related to that policy area. This can be a state, county or municipal law
or policy. This will be the topic for your policy analysis. For example, if your policy area is EDUCATION, you
might choose Requirements for Teacher Certification, or Random Drug Testing of Student Athletes, or Funding
of Charter and Cyber Schools or cyber graduation requirements. Notice that your law/policy might deal with
more than one policy area (ex: drug testing deals with EDUCATION, CRIME and HEALTH). That’s okay.
STEP IV
Review the purpose and content of an Issue Brief (below) and start your research!
Your final policy brief for this class will include:
● Maximum 5 pages, not including appendices and references
● Title: This quickly communicates the contents of the brief in a memorable way.
● Your name and contact information – YOU are the expert, so your reader needs to know how to
reach you.
● Executive Summary (similar to an abstract) : WHAT is the problem? One to two paragraphs
maximum; this includes an overview of the problem, necessary definitions and for this brief, the
proposed policy action.
● History/background: What is the policy/law? Is it an idea that has been proposed, or is it existing?
What is the history of the policy or the desire to change the policy? What problem was/is it intended to
correct? How long has it been a problem, etc…. Depending on your individual issue, the History might
work well as part of the Context/Scope and/or the Policy Alternatives sections – you make that decision
for yourself.
● Context or Scope of Policy: WHY does it matter? WHY is this law or policy necessary? This section
communicates details about the issue and the importance of the problem. This is where you discuss the
impact on stakeholders. It aims to convince the reader of the necessity of policy action. Consider using
graphs or charts to assist with this section. Aside from anything else you use you answer these
questions, make sure to include:
➢ Current Law:
Begin with what section of the PA code deals with this issue. List any current law or regulatory
framework related to the issue.
Research tip:
○ When you research, make sure you are focused on Pennsylvania laws or
county/municipal regulations.
○ start here with the state statutes: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/public/
○ Do a news search in general on Google or in SpotlightPA for any news coverage
➢ Pending laws, if any:
Check to see what sort of legislation has been proposed, but has not passed in recent sessions,
or is currently pending in this session.
Research tip:
○ Start here with legislation: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/bills/
➢ Recent Court Cases:
Check for recent court cases related to the law, or enforcement actions of a law. For example, if
your bill is on medical marijuana, cases related to incarceration for marijuana possession, or
perhaps cases dealing with rules related to firearm ownership and marijuana.
Research tip:
○ Cases of Public Interest:
https://www.pacourts.us/news-and-statistics/cases-of-public-interest
○ While in the www.pacourts.us website, click on the NEWS link (notice at the top right
corner the ability to change the year for the News releases?)
○ Do a news search of SpotlightPA or Google News for any news coverage
● Policy Alternatives and Related Critiques: This section discusses the current policy approach and
explains proposed options/alternatives. It should always include the status quo (do nothing
different/make no changes). Options should be presented in a fair and accurate manner. You should
ALWAYS complete a policy alternatives matrix (which will be done as an assignment during the course)
before writing this section. Do not fall into a trap of “knowing what should be done” prior to doing your
research and analysis. Take the time to consider the merits and pitfalls of each option.
● References/Resources
○ This will be in two parts:
■ Within the brief itself create a section that gives your readers a few suggestions on
where to go for more information. Consider formatting as a list of URL links, or the
names of specific agencies, resources, etc…. are helpful.
■ An academic references page, formatting according to APA. A minimum of 8 resources
from unique sources. This is NOT something that is usually included in a brief, but I
want you to provide a reference for each source used. This will be included at the very
end of your submission, as an appendix.
RUBRIC FOR PSPL 202 FINAL POLICY ANALYSIS
Excellent Good Fair Consider redo
and resubmit
Completed with accurate, thorough,
organized and summarized
information that reflects the thoughtful
consideration of the directions. Covers
all required sections: Executive
Summary, Context/Scope of Problem,
Policy Alternatives &
Recommendation
36-40
All elements
present and
correct
31-35
Most elements
present and
correct
26-30
Some elements
present and
correct
0-25
Does not follow
instructions/
include required
content
/40
Begins with a well-defined problem
that can be addressed at the level of
policy. Thoughtful consideration of
both audience and purpose in
language, tone and format. Does not
exceed 5 pages in length, excluding
appendices & references.
27-30
All elements
present and
correct
23-26
Most elements
present and
correct
19-22
Some elements
present and
correct
0-18
Does not follow
instructions/
include required
content
/30
Author’s name and contact information
clearly stated in brief. Credit clearly
given to any visuals, charts, direct
quotations, etc… All necessary
citations provided using in-text APA
formatting, but 2+ resources that are
formatted with your audience in mind
included at the end of the last page of
the brief (see directions).
14-15
All elements
present and
correct
11-13
Most elements
present and
correct
7-10
Some elements
present and
correct
0-6
Does not follow
instructions/
include required
content
/15
Mechanics & formality: correct
spelling, grammar and paragraph
structure, typed and professional
presentation.
9-10
All elements
present and
correct
7-8
Most elements
present and
correct
6
Some elements
present and
correct
0-5
Does not follow
instructions/
include required
content
/10
Creative formatting, colors, applicable
images, charts, etc… designed to
appeal to audience.
9-10
All elements
present and
correct
7-8
Most elements
present and
correct
6
Some elements
present
0-5
Does not follow
instructions/
include required
content
/10
Appendices fit the formatting and tone
of the brief. Includes a minimum of
two items: Your complete, thoughtful
shareholder matrix and an APA
formatted references page that
includes a minimum of 8 reference
entries from unique sources.
14-15
All elements
present and
correct
11-13
Most elements
present and
correct
7-10
Some elements
present and
correct
0-6
Does not follow
instructions/
include required
content
/15
TOTAL: /120
12/23
The Framework of an Issue Brief
Throughout the course you will be developing skills, doing research and practicing the art and science of
politics to prepare a final policy brief submission that, if done correctly, can be used in a portfolio as you seek
other educational opportunities, jobs or internships in any area of public service, politics or policy. Writing your
policy brief will be a process, which will begin with writing smaller, more focused, and less normative (opinion)
based briefs. We will make full use of your private writing & research forum, as well as a few group-related
projects, to develop these skills, as well as this final document.
Policy Briefs
What are policy briefs? A policy brief presents a concise summary of information that can help readers who
are not experts in the field understand, and likely make decisions about, government policies. Ideally, policy
briefs give objective summaries of relevant information and research, suggest possible policy options, and
sometimes go even further and advocate for particular courses of action. The purpose of this policy brief is to
convince the target audience of the urgency of the current problem and the need to adopt the preferred
alternative or course of action you recommend.
Example: Imagine that you’re an elected official serving on a committee that sets the standards cars must meet to pass a
state inspection. You know that this is a complex issue, and you’d like to learn more about existing policies, the effects of
emissions on the environment and on public health, the economic consequences of different possible approaches, and
more–you want to make an informed decision. But you don’t have time to research all of these issues. You need a staff
member to prepare a policy brief.
What to consider when writing a policy brief:
● YOU ARE THE EXPERT: You must approach the research as if you are seeking expertise – assume
that at some point you will walk into a room of powerful people who are uninformed about the issue. In
that room, at that moment, you will be expected to know absolutely everything about the topic, and be
able to answer any and all questions about it, or to at least know where to find the answer. Be. The.
Expert.
● Audience In your college writing experiences you have most likely addressed your peers and your
professors. Policy briefs are usually created for a more general reader or policy maker who has a stake
in the issue that you’re discussing. Assume your audience has little background knowledge in the
topic, but is being asked to make important decisions about the topic.
● Tone and terminology Clear language is especially important in policy briefs. If you find yourself using
jargon, replace it with more direct language that a non-specialist reader would be more likely to
understand. When specialized terminology is necessary, explain it/define it as you use it.
● Purpose Policy briefs are distinct in their focus on communicating the practical implications of research
to a specific audience. Unlike a research paper, a policy brief is focused on going beyond providing
background information – it wants to help readers decide what they should do, or how they should act. (I
have provided you with a sample of a purpose statement above)
● Format Policy briefs have a distinctive format. They tend to use lots of headings and have relatively
short sections. This structure differs from many short papers or essays. The goal is not length or
exhaustive details, but clear, concise and simplified. A good brief might start out as 20 pages of
research, then be simplified down to just a few pages (with the option of creating appendices). Unlike a
final product in essay format, your text should ideally be formatted in an interesting, easy to skim format
with images, charts, graphs, etc… as needed.
The Process of Creating Your Brief : The process will depend on the purpose of your brief. Some briefs are
simply to inform of things as they are; some have a purpose to identify a need for action; others focus on both
identifying a need and presenting the best solution. The directions below fit best with this third option.
STEP 1: Identify a problem for your policy brief.
An effective policy brief must propose a solution to a well-defined problem that can be addressed at the
level of policy. This may sound easy, but it can take a lot of work to think of a problem that adheres to all three
of these requirements.
1. Define the problem
2. List its contributing factors as specifically as possible.
3. Consider what concrete policy action (at the local, state, or national level) would be feasible.
For example “bad spending habits in young adults” might be a problem, but it must first be defined since you can’t simply
implement a policy to “make better financial decisions.” Instead, do some research and narrow it down. What are the
causes of “bad spending habits in young adults”? Is the problem a lack of financial education, predatory lending practices,
dishonest advertising, or something else? Narrow to one cause that can be approached with concrete policy action. For
example, a well-defined, actionable problem could be: “Dishonest credit card advertising targeting young adults”.
STEP 2: Research
Expect that your initial draft of your written brief might run three or four times the page limit you are given. This
is expected and a good thing – it is because you will have done such great research – and since you want to be
an expert on the topic, the more information you have, the better.
***As you research your topic, always keep track of your resources****.
ISSUE:
What is the general issue? What is your specific problem? What does it affect? Who does it affect?
Why is it a problem? Who cares?
What is the history? How long has it been a problem, etc….
POLICY:
What is the current policy/laws related to your specific, defined problem? What about the general issue
area? (are there any?)
What are other approaches that are used/have been used?
What happens in places where there is no policy?
STAKEHOLDERS:
Who is involved? What individuals? What groups? What agencies/political entities? Who benefits?
Who is harmed?
Consider “what” benefits/is harmed, too. For example, the environment, water quality, education, health
care access, etc…)
Can you identify potential unintended consequences?
THE DATA (Statistics):
What is the data? How is it collected?
What other data might be out there?
What are some other ways to look at the issue? Are there different
What else could/should be collected? (What type of data would be helpful?)
Once you answer what type of data would be helpful, check in case that data already exists.
OPTIONS:
Create a matrix of options, then consider the potential outcomes of each for a variety of stakeholders.
This can take some research of different ways it is dealt with in other places, as well as imagination and
thoughtful reflection and critique on your research.
STEP 3: Framing the issue
Once you’ve identified the well-defined problem, as well as your preferred choice for action, you need
to decide how you will present it to your reader. Your own process of identifying the problem likely had
some stops, starts, and dead-ends, but your goal in framing the issue for your reader is to provide the
most direct path to understanding the problem and the proposed policy change. Think of some of the
most pressing questions your audience will have and attempt to preemptively answer those questions.
Here are some questions you might want to consider:
● What is the problem?
○ Understanding what the problem is, in the clearest terms possible, will give your reader a
reference point. Later, when you’re discussing complex information, your reader can refer back
to the initial problem. Every piece of information in the brief should be clearly and easily
connected to the problem.
● What is the scope of the problem?
○ Knowing the extent of the problem helps to frame the policy issue for your reader. Is the
problem statewide, national, or international? How many people does this issue affect? Daily?
Annually? This is a great place for any statistical information you may have gathered through
your research.
● Who are the stakeholders?
○ Determining the stakeholders is an essential part of your research and is integral to framing the
issue. Who does this issue affect? Adult women? College-educated men? Children from
bilingual homes? The primary group(s) being affected is important, and knowing who this group
is/these groups are allows the reader to assign a face to the policy issue. However, policy
issues can include a complex network of stakeholders. Stakeholders are NOT just beneficiaries.
They are also those negatively affected. Double check whether you have accidentally excluded
any of them from your analysis.
For example, a policy to stop predatory lending to young adults on college campuses would obviously involve college
students. However, it might also include the colleges themselves, residence hall directors, bookstores, banks, parents,
local businesses, perhaps auto dealerships. Some stakeholders might be reluctant to accept your policy change or even
acknowledge the existence of the problem, which is why your brief must be convincing in its use of evidence and clear in
its communication.
STEP 4: Effective policy-writing
● Write, and write, and write some more for your original draft.
● Succinct – Your audience does not have the time or inclination to read an in-depth 20 page argument
on a policy problem. Once you have a clear draft, start editing it down. Be clear, concise, and focused.
This might take more than a few additional drafts.
○ What information is necessary?
○ Does every piece of information focus on my well-defined problem?
○ What information is best conveyed with a picture or graph or bulleted list?
● Make your own graphs and tables. It is very unlikely that an existing chart or table will be exactly
tailored to your purpose and your audience. By creating your own original tables, charts and graphs,
you are showing your expertise, matching the formatting of your chart to your policy brief (i.e. using
complementary colors) and only using specific and relevant data.
● Use clear headings for each section
● Thoughtful and practical: take your time to become an expert and consider all alternatives
● Focused – all aspects of the policy brief (from the message to the layout) need to be strategically
focused on achieving the intended goal of convincing the audience to follow your advice.
● Professional, but not academic – Your audience is not interested in the research process or procedures
conducted to produce the evidence, but are interested to know the writer’s perspective on the problem
and potential solutions.
● Evidence-based – This is NOT about your wit or persuasive techniques. You are an expert and your
audience expects a rational argument that is supported by evidence.