Below are some suggestions on teaching the research and writing of issue briefs, as submitted by faculty and staff:

• Defining Issue Briefs

  • Stress this is a policy brief, n-o-t a paper; that produces cognitive dissonance.

• Assign in Stages

  • I've found it is key to assign it in stages. After an initial topic is approved, the first step can be compiling the list of key individuals/organizations. Then a bib. Then a draft. Then the final.
  • Require first that the general topic be identified, around a problem or a proposal.
  • Next that that the list of orgs and individuals be done early on in the term, first, then the bib, and only then ask to identify the actual policy proposal for the brief draft.
  • Then to write the brief around the proposal, throwing out the original "problem" if necessary.  The scope of the problem section should be the problem, specifically, that would be solved by the proposal.  The past and current policy then fall into place.

• Final Presentation

  • Have a letter assignment tied into it, where the student writes a a letter to one of the key persons before completing the final brief.  The idea is that when they write the brief, they should have that person in mind, "as if" they were writing it for that person.