PMG300 Portfolio Project – Policy paper
Policy Paper – Section 1 – Defining a Current Policy Issue The first section should be 3-4 pages in length, excluding the title page and references page. Select a current policy issue and research it using various news and journal sources. Examples of policy issues are utilization of computers in government, poverty, the community drug problem, homelessness, the city planning process, the role of government in controlling crime, local taxation, the prison system, and public health. You do not need to obtain prior approval for your selected topic, though I am happy to review and provide feedback if you request. Note: this section is not graded until the completed paper is turned in at the end of the course.
Your analysis will include: a) a detailed statement of the issue, b) the organizations, interests, and officials involved in the issue, c) an explanation of the connection to public administration, and d) a general analysis of the issue. As part of this assessment, you will review and critique at least 3 journal articles, in addition to other news and scholarly sources. Your section should have at least 10 sources, total. The three journal articles must come from a peer-reviewed journal in your field of interest. Acceptable journals include, but are not limited to: Public Administration Review, Administration and Society, Public Administration Quarterly, International Journal of Public Administration, Public Budgeting and Finance, Review of Public Personnel Administration, Policy Studies Review, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Policy Studies Journal, American Review of Public Administration, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, and Journal of Public Policy. The article reviews should: a) clearly identify the paper’s research questions/hypotheses, b) identify the author’s assumptions, c) evaluate the strengths and limitations of the research design, methods and measures used, and d) evaluate the implications for policy and practice.
Section 2 – Analyzing the Issue
The second section should be 3-4 pages in length, excluding the title page and references page. In your second section, you will define the stakeholders for your chosen topic, present the policy options, and develop an opinion about the problem. In this section, you will analyze the issue. Note: this section is not graded until the completed paper is turned in at the end of the course.
Be sure to address the following questions: a) Who are the players? What is at stake? b) What are the existing alternate policies to deal with this issue or problem? c) Are the existing public policies effective to deal with this issue or problem? Identify any gaps or
conflicts in the sources, and offer your opinions and analysis, where appropriate.
d) Is there any current or pending legislation related to this issue? If so, identify the bill number and discuss the status. e) What is your position on this issue? As part of your paper, you should conduct a SWOT analysis and explain the results.
Section 3 – Policy Position and Recommendation The third section should be 3-4 pages in length, excluding the title page and references page. At this point, you have researched the issue, defined the stakeholders and developed an opinion about the issue or problem. Public administrators must make practical and informed decisions and propose solutions to problems. In your third section, you will develop a policy perspective that takes into account the information and data you have assembled in the first two sections. Note: this section is not graded until the completed paper is turned in at the end of the course.
Be sure to address the following questions:
a) Articulate your recommended policy clearly and practically.
b) Why and how is your recommended policy better than existing policies for this issue?
c) What are the financial requirements and/or implications of your recommended policy and how are they addressed in your plan?
