Policy Brief (6-8 pages)
You are required to use at least 6 sources, with a minimum 3 of those sources coming from peer-reviewed journals and published within the last 15 years. Citations should be in ASA format. Review these tips to help you with ASA formatting and citations. All papers should have 1â margins, 12pt Times New Roman font, double-spaced with page numbers.
1.Clarity of Argument (3 points)
Clearly and succinctly states argument in the first paragraph
2.Strength of Evidence (8 points)
Accurately and clearly analyzes the crime issue with sufficient depth; Claims are backed up with specific evidence from sources; Uses sociological language to explain phenomenon and convince reader of argument
3.Organization and Development (6 points)
Op-eds or policy briefs follow the structure provided in instructions; Uses topic and transition sentences to guide reader through logic of argument development. In-text citations and reference page correctly in ASA format; Minimum of 6 sources used with at least 3 peer-reviewed and published within the last 15 years; Polished writing, free of grammatical and spelling errors
Guidelines:
Policy Brief:
A policy brief is a short, neutral summary of what is known about a particular problem or issue that is designed to facilitate policy making by succinctly evaluating policy options (note – this is a more polished and succinct version of a literature review). Briefs are geared towards people who have a limited amount of time to make a practical decision. Your policy brief should adhere to the following structure:
Executive summary: The executive summary aims to convince the reader that the brief is worth in-depth investigation. It is especially important for an audience that is short of time to clearly see the relevance and importance of the brief in reading the summary. As such, a 1 to 2 paragraph executive summary commonly includes:
A desÑrÑption of the problem addressed.
A statement on why the current approach/policy option needs to be changed.
Your recommendations for action.
Context and importance of the problem: The purpose of this element of the brief is to convince the target audience that a current and urgent problem exists which requires them to take action. The context and importance of the problem is both the introductory and first building block of the brief. As such, it usually includes the following:
A clear statement of the problem or issue in focus
A short overview of the root causes of the problem
A clear statement of the policy implications of the problem that clearly establishes the current importance and policy relevance of the issue.
Critique of policy option(s): The aim of this element is to detail shortcomings of the current approach or options being implemented and therefore, illustrate both the need for change and a focus on where change needs to occur. In doing so, the critique of policy options usually includes the following:
A short overview of the policy option(s) in focus
An argument illustrating why and how the current or proposed approach is failing. It is important for the sake of credibility to recognize all opinions in the debate of the issue.
Policy recommendations: The aim of the policy recommendations element is to provide a detailed and convincing proposal including:
A breakdown of the specific practical steps or measures that need to be implemented
A closing paragraph re-emphasizing the importance of action.
The topic is attached along with five sources, only 1-3 more scholarly sources should be found and cited in the ASA format.