A Guide to Writing a Capstone Public Policy Report.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Scheppach, Raymond.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Report writing.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (87 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chicago : Austin Macauley Publishers, 2024.

Summary:

In my 10 plus years of teaching, I have found that students struggle with two major challenges in writing a quality capstone paper. First, they have difficulty creating a rigorous analytical framework. Too often, the papers tend to be more descriptive in nature, which means that the final policy recommendation may be flawed. This book attempts to fill that gap by discussing in detail the various components of the framework as well as their interdependence. Second, most public policy books are theoretical or conceptual, but it is difficult for students to make the transition from understanding the concepts to performing the actual quantification of the metrics so necessary to do the analysis. This book provides detailed instructions on how to do the quantification.

Contents:

Intro

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Copyright Information ©

Acknowledgment

Preface

Chapter 1 Introduction

The Ivory Tower and the Mud Hut

The Client

Special Emphasis

Chapter 2 The Problem, the Outcome, and the Costs to Society

The Problem Statement

Problem Statement 1

Problem Statement 2

Problem Statement 3

Problem Statement 4

Problem Statement 5

Outcome Vs. Output

The Costs to Society

Direct Costs

Economic Costs

Externalities

Chapter 3 Setting the Stage

The Literature Review

Step 1. Determine the Question and Key Words

Step 2. Search for Relevant Literature

Step 3. Evaluate the Quality of the Literature Found

Step 4. Outline the Structure of the Review

Step 5. Write the Literature Review

Metrics and Data

A Perspective on the Problem

The Causes of the Problem

The Jurisdiction of Different Levels of Government

Technology

Best Practices

Quality, Proficiency, and Other Factors

Chapter 4 Alternative Policies

A Caution on the Need for New Policies

Define the Status Quo

Authorization and Funding

Phasing in Large Initiatives

The Role of Technology

Describe Each Alternative

Choose Alternative Policies

Make the Market Work

Think Outside the Box

Incremental Changes

Providing Information

Educating the Public

Setting a Standard

Moderate Policies

Laws

Rules and Regulations

Executive Orders

Guidance

Bolder, More Interventionist Policies

Spending

Taxes

A Final Comment

Chapter 5 Developing the Criteria

Political Feasibility

Likelihood of Being Financed

Ease of Implementation

Equity

Cost-Effectiveness

Other Important Criteria

Political Sustainability

Quality

Proficiency

Chapter 6 Estimating Cost-Effectiveness

The Four Early Decisions.

The Outcome

The Base Year

The Region

The Time Horizon

The Methodology

Assumptions

Informed Judgment and Data

Push Forward

Eight Steps for Calculating Cost-Effectiveness

Step 1. Project the Outcome for Current Policy

Step 2. Project the Outcomes for All Other Policy Alternatives

Step 3. Develop the Cost for the Base Year for Current Policy

Step 4. Project the Costs of the Current Policy

Step 5. Generate the Costs for All Alternative Policies

Step 6. Verify That All Estimates Are Complete

Step 7. Choose a Social Discount Rate

Step 8. Generate the Net Present Value for the Current Policy and Each Alternative

Step 8. Calculate Cost-Effectiveness Measures

High-Quality Projections

U.S. Census Bureau Population Projection

Substate Regional-Level Population Projections

Long-Term Gross Domestic Product Projections from the Congressional Budget Office and Office of Management and Budget

Long-Term Gross Domestic Product Projections from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Bureau of Labor Statistics Long-Term Projections (8)

Government Accountability Office Long-Term Budget Projections

Long-Term Gross Domestic Product Projections from Moody's Analytics

Chapter 7 The Recommendation

The Outcomes Matrix

Findings

Methodology

Walk the Walk

Secondary Recommendations

Sensitivity Analysis

Chapter 8 Implementation

Include Key Implementation Provisions in the Proposed Legislation

Funding

Agencies Involved

Phasing in the Law

Evaluation

Effective Dates

Understand the Political and Economic Context

Choose an Experienced Leader and Team with Appropriate Expertise

Develop the Plan

Involve Stakeholders

Create a Feedback Loop to Evaluate Progress and Results

Chapter 9 A Final Comment.

Appendix A Choosing the Topic

Go with Passion

Keep the Topic Narrow

Check the Data

Select the Best Level of Government

Choose Greater Political Impact

Appendix B Creating a Mud Hut of Advisers

Appendix C Choosing and Working with a Client

Send a Letter of Confirmation

Determine Communication

Indicate Flexibility

Send a Thank-You Note at the End

Appendix D A Checklist for the Final Report

Appendix E Federal-State Implementation

Federal-State Coordination of the American Recovery Act During the Great Recession of 2008-9

1. The Goals and Tone Were Set by the Highest Elected Officials Early in the Process

2. Several Informal and Flexible Working Groups with Specific Missions Were Created

3. A Free Flow of Information Across All Three Working Groups Was Developed

4. Ad Hoc Groups of State Budget Directors, Federal Agency Staff and Office of Management and Budget Staff Were Created to Eliminate Obstacles Quickly

5. The Accountability Group Operated in Parallel with the Two Operations Groups Instead of After the Fact.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Other Format:

Print version: Scheppach, Raymond A Guide to Writing a Capstone Public Policy Report

ISBN:

9798886939392

OCLC:

1417760484