In this assignment, you will produce a 1000-ish word Policy Brief, based on the topic you presented in your Proposal. You must use at least 5 credible industry-level sources suitable to your topic and within the timeframe specified in the RFP.
Remember, this course is based on a progressive project. This means the Policy Brief should demonstrate a sense of development, showing improved depth and quality of research and ideas, from the initial work presented in the Proposal.
This document provides you with details on the required format and structure, but you will need to use the course material to help you develop the Policy Brief. It covers the purpose, goal, and steps in developing the content, structure and production of this project over the next few weeks of class. You have been given several examples and opportunities to plan for this assignment; use this pre-work to support the development of your final product.
Core Sections for Development
- Executive Summary
a. Communicates the full message of the Policy Brief effectively or memorably.
- Introduction – What’s at Stake?
a. What is your problem or key questions, why is it urgent and important to take policy action, and what outcome are you calling for? - Research – Build your Case through Discussion of Research
Your emphasis may be on one or more of these goals:
a. Use a synthesis of current research to demonstrate the problem (gaps or shortcomings of existing policy or problems with current existing practice)
b. Use a synthesis of current research to highlight preferred alternatives or solutions to the problem.
c. Use a synthesis of current research to explore and promote alternative policy options. - Policy Recommendations – Call for Action:
a. Short statements with action words indicating recommendations that clearly tie back to findings in the research section.
b. Implications or effects of your research/recommendations. Return to the question of what’s at stake and how things could go better.
What should my Policy Brief look like?
- Your paper should document all research in APA format, with a complete reference list at the end.
- It must demonstrate accurate and effective synthesis of research material, with correct use of paraphrase, quotation and citation.
- The layout and design of your Policy Brief is flexible and should reflect the nature of the topic and issue you’ve chosen to focus on. The design and layout should be compelling, interesting and easy to read, and include the features of effective document design covered in the course, including effective titles and headings, bullet points, sidebars, images, as needed.
Policy Brief Assignment – Holistic Grading Rubric (25 points)
23–25 (Excellent)
Your Policy Brief is highly effective and professional. It demonstrates a clear understanding of purpose and audience, with a compelling executive summary, strong introduction, and well-integrated research from at least 5 recent, credible sources. Your recommendations are clear and logically tied to the research you present. Your writing is concise, persuasive, and error-free. You have carefully considered document design; it is visually appealing and helps the reader locate information. Your APA citations are accurate and complete. If you used AI tools, they are applied ethically and transparently, only for support (e.g., brainstorming, grammar checks), and not for generating entire sections or replacing original analysis.
19–22 (Proficient)
Your Policy Brief meets expectations with solid organization and research integration. Your executive summary and introduction are clear but less impactful than they could be (the big idea is difficult to find). Your recommendations are mostly tied to research and are reasonable. Your writing is generally clear with minor errors. The document design you’ve used is functional but could be more engaging. Your APA citations are mostly correct. Your use of AI tools is appropriate and limited; you demonstrate ownership of ideas and acknowledge AI assistance where it has been significant.
15–18 (Developing)
Your Policy Brief shows partial understanding of your purpose and audience. Your executive summary and introduction may lack clarity or depth. Your research is present but the synthesis of main findings may be weak or uneven. Your recommendations may be vague or loosely tied to evidence. Your writing has noticeable errors or lacks conciseness. The design of your brief is basic and does not enhance readability. Your APA citations may have multiple errors. Your use of AI may be over-relied upon for content generation or not acknowledged.
0–14 (Needs Improvement)
Your Policy Brief does not meet core requirements. Your executive summary and introduction may be missing or unclear. Your research appears to be minimal, poorly integrated, or lacking in credibility. Your recommendations are missing and/or disconnected from evidence. Your writing is unclear, with frequent errors. Your document design may be poor or absent. Your APA citations may be largely incorrect or missing. Your AI use may be excessive or inappropriate (e.g., full sections generated without revision), with little evidence of student’s own analysis or voice.
I used Co-Pilot to generate a draft of this rubric using this prompt: “i need a rubric for grading this assignment: Assignment 2 – Policy Brief. 20%”
I subsequently asked for a holistic version and for the inclusion of language around use of AI. I then revised the rubric to be student-facing and added more modality (may) to descriptions.