Theory and Methods III Midterm Paper instructions: Create an argument that allows you to advocate for a policy change for your client population. 3-5 page paper Please add research to your paper APA style ? Title: A good title quickly communicates the contents of the brief in a memorable way. ? Executive Summary: This section is often one to two paragraphs long; it includes an overview of the problem and the proposed policy action. ? Context or Scope of Problem: This section communicates the importance of the problem and aims to convince the reader of the necessity of policy action. ? Policy Alternatives: This section discusses the current policy approach and explains proposed options. It should be fair and accurate while convincing the reader why the policy action proposed in the brief is the most desirable. ? Policy Recommendations: This section contains the most detailed explanation of the concrete steps to be taken to address the policy issue. ? 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. This will help to ‘anchor’ them throughout the course of your argument. 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? ? Who does this issue affect? Adult women? College-educated men? Children from bilingual homes? The primary group being affected is important, and knowing who this group is allows the reader to assign a face to the policy issue. ? Policy issues can include a complex network of stakeholders. Double check whether you have inadvertently excluded any of them from your analysis. For example, a policy about children’s nutrition obviously involves the children, but it might also include food producers, distributors, parents, and nutritionists (and other experts). Some stakeholders might be reluctant to accept your
