About
The Policy Analyst Workflow is a set of tasks you need to complete to produce part of your presentation, while the discussion is where you check in with your peers and me about the workflow.
Policy analysis "is the process of identifying potential policy options that could address your problem and then comparing those options to choose the most effective, efficient, and feasible one. Conducting a policy analysis ensures you have gone through a systematic process to choose the policy option that may be best for your situation." Policy analysts work with existing and proposed laws and regulations, decision-making processes at the individual, local, state, national, and/or international level, and elected and appointed decision-makers.
Learning Objectives
By the completion of this workflow, you will be able to:
- Remember what policy analysis is
- Understand the utility of policy process model
- Apply policy-making models to your public problem
- Analyze policies related to your public problem’s causes or effects
- Evaluate the utility of policy analysis in explaining a public problem
- Create a Policy Analyst Highlight slide
Assignment
The purpose of the following tasks is to: learn about the policy process model, identify specific federal, state, and local laws or regulations related to your public problem, and create a presentation slide.
Step 1: Read the Centers for Disease Control POLARIS Policy Process
The purpose of this step is to introduce yourself to the policy process, as explained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The policy process consists of 5 parts: problem identification, policy analysis, strategy and policy development, policy enactment, and policy implementation.
Step 2: Identify a specific federal law, regulation, or judicial ruling
Identify a specific federal law, regulation, or judicial ruling that needs to be amended or overruled to help solve the public problem.
The purpose of this step is to have you search and identify a federal law, regulation, or judicial ruling related to your public problem. You only need to search and identify 1 of the 3. To help you get started, below are links to the federal databases:
- Search federal laws databaseLinks to an external site.
- Search federal regulations databaseLinks to an external site.
- Search federal judicial rulings databaseLinks to an external site.
TIP: Sometimes your public problem is "too specific." In that case, search for a more general representation of your public problem. For example, if your public problem is about a specific population's healthcare outcomes, but you cannot find that specific population in the databases above then just search for healthcare outcomes or just healthcare.
Step 3: Identify a specific state law, regulation, or judicial ruling
Identify a specific state law, regulation, or judicial ruling that needs to be amended or overruled to help solve the public problem.
The purpose of this step is to have you search and identify a state law, regulation, or judicial ruling related to your public problem. You only need to search and identify 1 of the 3. To help you get started, below are links to the state databases:
TIP: Sometimes your public problem is "too specific." In that case, search for a more general representation of your public problem.
Step 4: Identify a specific local law or regulation
Identify a specific local law or regulation that needs to be amended to help solve the public problem.
The purpose of this step is to have you search and identify a local law or regulation related to your public problem. You only need to search and identify 1 of the 2. To help you get started, below are links to the county and city databases:
TIP: Sometimes your public problem is "too specific." In that case, search for a more general representation of your public problem.
Step 5: Create your Policy Analyst Highlight presentation slide
The purpose of this step is to reflect on these steps by explaining what you liked or disliked about the process, list a federal law/regulation/rule, state law/regulation/rule, and local law/regulation in your presentation slide.
A Google Slides Presentation TemplateLinks to an external site. is available to assist you in preparing this slide for your presentation.
Discussion
As you progress through the public policy project and the analyst workflows, please check in with me and your peers at our discussion.
- Post any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions that you'd like to share with me and your peers.
- If you don't have any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions, then feel free to post that as well.
Estimated Time
An estimated 2 hours is needed to complete this assignment and discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to include the file or link to my completed slide in the discussion?
- One aspect of the public policy project is that you are given autonomy to progress through your work.
- You do not need to upload or link to your presentation in your check in post.
Can I include a file or link to my slide in my discussion post?
- Some students use the discussion to hold themselves personally accountable for making progress on the public policy project.
- Therefore, you are welcome to include a file or link to your slide or presentation. I will review and provide my feedback in the discussion.
Rubric
The public policy project is worth 27% of your grade. Please see the rubric by clicking the 3 vertical dots on the top right for specific grading criteria.