For this assignment, students will write a policy memo that responds to a policy problem connected to their major. (communications major)
In the course of the memo, students will a) identify the problem, b) provide background for understanding the problem, including relevant history and a summary of all stakeholders and their competing interests, c) explain previous approaches to solving the problem, and d) make specific recommendations for solving the problem that are tailored to a specific government. Students should explain their reasoning behind their strategy. Thaler & Sunstein’s Nudge and the Foreign Affairs articles we read illustrate how you can break a problem down into pieces and use academic terminology to explain how the problem should be understood. Students should also consider how policy-makers often need to balance competing interests in the pursuit of their goals.
Students must cite at least two peer reviewed articles about their topic and region/industry of focus. In-text citations and a works cited page are required; please note that the works cited page does not count towards the page length requirement. These articles aren’t just for finding facts and statistics– students should identify the specific methodological approach or conceptual frame that the peer reviewed articles use. Students must make their own point-of-view or philosophy clear.
Recommendations should be realistic and practical. This does not mean that students cannot let their ideals influence their recommendations. It does mean, however, that the recommendations should be plausible given the economic and political constraints of the country or territory that is being analyzed.
The completed policy memo should be 3-5 full pages long (Times New Roman, 12 point font, double-spaced, normal 1-inch margins). Additionally, students should write a one paragraph abstract that briefly summarizes the main points of the paper.
