How to analyze public policies.

1. Policy Analysis
 Attendance
 What is Policy Analysis
 Public Citizen Project: Meet in groups
carry out a policy analysis and decide
on an issue.
 Plan next tasks.

2. Policy Analysis
 Policy analysis is the systematic
evaluation of the technical and political
implications of alternatives proposed to
solve public problems.
 Today we will be analyzing the issues
you have researched and coming to
agreement within your groups on the
issue you will try to address.

3. What to analyze…
 Scope: How many people are
affected?
 Intensity: How many people are
upset about it?
 Duration: How long has it been an
issue?
 Resources: What skills and
knowledge do you have? What
information is out there?

4. Coming to an agreement…
Meet in your groups and come to a decision on your
issue. Ask yourselves.
 Does this issue meet the criteria of scope,
duration, intensity, resources?
If so…
 How strongly do you feel about this issue?
 Are your values or important resources at stake?
 Is it a minor irritant or a major concern?
 Can something be done in the time frame we have?
 What can you contribute?
Now meet together and choose your issue. Remember
to record in your journal about the process so you
will be able to write your issue essay.

5. What to do next
Now that you have an issue, you need to get all
the information you can about it. Which of these
will be most helpful for your issue?
1. Library research
2. Online
3. Newspaper
4. Consulting important people and
interest groups
5. Interviews with people in charge
6. Polls and surveys

6. Carrying out a Poll or Survey
Meet in in your group. Decide:
1. Who will you survey or poll?
2. How many people will you survey? [The
more the better]
3. How will you make it random?
4. What method will you use?
1. Ask people 1 or 2 questions and keep a tally
2. Do a written survey
3. Have people vote
4. Do an online survey?
5. Or will you not do a survey at all?

7. Issue Selection Essay Due 3/8
Assignment: To analyze the process your group just went
through to choose its issue.
 Explain in 2-3 typed pages why you agreed
with the choice. Follow rubric in syllabus.
 Address these questions:
◦ 1. Did you initially agree or disagree with the
issue selected and why?
◦ 2. Why did you agree with the final choice?
◦ 3. Did the group find enough information to make
the choice?
◦ What difficulties do you see ahead?