memo writing

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TASK ONE: WRITING A POLICY MEMORANDUM GUIDELINES & EVALUATION CRITERIA

CONTENTS

|Getting Started |2 |
| | |
|Writing Guidelines |4 |
| | |
|Evaluation Criteria for Task One |8 |

I. Getting Started

Steps to complete task one

1. Choose a scenario from the list provided separately 2. Choose a national mission to address 3. Write your policy memorandum 4. Make sure that your policy memorandum is consistent with the submission guidelines below 5. Submit your memo

Step 1: Choose a scenario

Students should write amemorandum on one of the government national missions on climate change. (Provided in the separate document)

Step 2: Choose a national mission to address

The national missions are listed in the separate document sent along with this. Choose any of the national missions which are a part of the government of India’s “National Action Plan on Climate Change” Your memorandum should be addressed to the government responding to the action plan your decide to choose from the document attached along.

We encourage you to discuss specific features of the national mission such that you are familiar with the mission and its details.

Step 3: Write your memorandum

In your policy memorandum, you will address and respond to the mission you have chosen and try to convince your target audience that you understand the situation and its relevance and the action you propose to implement an altered version it in your organization giving reasons for the alterations, listing problems you envisage and therefore the practical recommendations for suggestions or change you suggest.

In your policy memorandum you are tasked to develop advocacy messages which:

• Outline the nature of the problem; • Argue for the adoption of your chosen approach to solving the problem; and finally, • Propose a set of practical recommendations for action by policymakers/target audience.

The arguments you put forward should be supported by a range of sources and are the result of a process of weighing the pros and cons of the main approaches to solving the problem. You will also work on the design and layout of your policy memorandum so that it looks professional and encourages readers to take your ideas seriously. Prior to writing your policy memorandum, please familiarise yourself with the topic Step 4: Make sure that your policy memorandum is consistent with the submission guidelines below:

• Length: Between 800 and 1200 words, not including the list of sources consulted or bibliography.

• Format: Upload your policy memorandum in Word or PDF format in a font not smaller than 11 point.

• Citation style: Use APA embedded citation. This is a citation style where a short form of the source is given in brackets in the main text after the statement that requires a source. The long form of the source is stated in the bibliography at the end of the text.

• Paginate: Include a page number on each page.

• Reference code: Put your NAME on each page.

• Spell and grammar check: Ensure you complete both before submitting your policy memorandum.

Step 5: Submit policy memorandum

Submit your detailed Memo in soft forms to the class representative by the end of the Day (Wednesday, 4th September, 2013)

II. Writing Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines when planning and writing your policy memorandum. The guidelines are aimed to help you design a persuasive policy response to the hypothetical problems outlined in the scenarios of the first task.

Judges will evaluate your papers based on the qualities outlined below, so carefully following them means increasing your chance of making it to the second stage of the Challenge. You can find more information on how judges will evaluate your policy memo in the final section of this document. The length of the policy memo must be between 800 and 1200 words, not including the list of sources consulted or bibliography.

1. What is a policy document?

Policy documents, such as policy briefs or memos, are one of the most commonly used policy making tools. They communicate information to states’ leaders and decision makers; information that drives the choices and negotiations, which define modern governance. Persuasive, evidence-based and structured writing of this type represents one of the most powerful ways of influencing the policy making process.

A wide range of actors can issue policy documents. Governments are often equipped with hundreds of advisors across a range of disciplines, but non-governmental actors, such as think tanks, also produce advisories and other types of policy documents. Policy documents differ in many ways from academic or legal texts. In the public policy setting, good writing is aimed at immediate effect. A policy memorandum, for instance, is likely to be pressed into someone’s hand as s/he hurries down the corridor or skimmed through while making a phone call.

2. The policy memorandum

Policy memos take a variety of forms in terms of length, structure and depth of analysis, but also share a number of common characteristics. Memos should be clear, concise and immediately get to the point. The recommended solution should support a broader strategy. The alternative strategies should be laid out and their benefits and weaknesses discussed. A good memo is:

Policy and problem-oriented: A policy memorandum is practical and action-oriented. It is not an academic essay or philosophical musings on the topic. The issue in focus is a real-world problem and the discussion should be centered on the practical and political dimensions of the issue, as well as the practical solutions you propose.

Analysis-driven: Building on facts and evidence, a policy memo demonstrates analytical thinking on the range of possible solutions for the given problem. The arguments put forward for and against different options should be the result of a measured and balanced consideration of the possible solutions. They should be clearly grounded in a rational decision-making framework, which takes into account the impact (outcomes) and feasibility of the alternate policies in terms of effectiveness (the extent to which the policy solves the problem); efficiency (the contrasting of costs and benefits your government will face while attempting to realize the policy); equity of stakeholders (the identification of winners and losers as a result of implementing the policy); and the proposed time-frame.

Offers viable recommendations: The goal of your memo should be to persuade decision makers to implement the policy that you have devised. Your recommendations should take center stage, but you should also try to show your audience why those recommendations are better than the alternatives. Your argument should drive the memo and all sections of the policy memo need to build the pieces of your case together to convince your

target audience. Take the time to think about who will read your memo and what their priorities, prejudices and perspectives will be. You have to promote your ideas, especially considering this topic is controversial and you cannot assume readers will share your opinion or automatically agree with your proposed solution.

Evidence-based: It is important to demonstrate that your claims are well-founded; that is, not just based on your opinion but rather based on evidence from multiple reputable sources. Wherever possible, review and cite evidence from a primary source. If a newspaper article quotes a particular scientific study, look up and cite the original source. We have provided you with a background reading and will also regularly update the list of sources covering the themes and controversies of International Drug Policy. These documents are the best place to begin the process of learning about the research and evidence that underlies the policies you will be creating. Please refer to the citation guide (below) to learn how to reference evidence in your policy memo.

Well-structured and coherent: The policy memo attempts to describe a problem or a set of contestable issues, reviews the responses available and recommends a particular course of action – the policy itself. Ensuring a sensible structure to do so is an important part of the writing process. You need to guide your target audience through the paper by ensuring all sections and arguments are well-structured, logically developed and focused on the topic. To achieve this, your memo should contain six key elements:

● Title: Try to keep your title concise, so as not to lose the attention of the reader: 10 words or less is a common rule of thumb. The title of your policy memo may seem like a minor point; however, the title is the first thing your audience will read of your memo, so it has to attract them and ensure they consider your paper. Try to make your title memorable by choosing a provocative or surprising title, so that it sticks in the reader’s mind. It is often best to communicate your key message and the need for change in the title. ● Description of the problem and proposition of the preferred policy: Describe the issues that your government must address at the very beginning of your memo. Here you need to state what you perceive as the problem (including the people and organisations affected by it), based on one of the four scenarios. Propose a response to these issues – the policy itself. ● Comparative analysis of policy options and discussion of their impact: In writing the main part of your memo, look at alternative proposals and analyse them in a comparative fashion. Defend your arguments against contradictory evidence where necessary and provide in-depth analysis aimed at identifying the strategically and practically most viable policy. Introduce strong, objective evidence alongside this information and evaluate its reliability and applicability. ● Justification of the proposed policy: Based on the analysis, describe the policy for your government to adopt. Explain both the broad, principled approach that the government should take, but also detail the practical aspects of the plan. Discuss the impact of the plan and describe how it would address the issues you set out at the start of the document. ● Concluding remarks: Finally, try to ensure that your memorandum feels complete. After completing each individual component of your policy memo, briefly summarize the document as whole. Re- introduce the problems or issues that you have explored in a concise way; re-state your policy; re- examine your key evidence and show your readers why it is relevant to your argument. Conclude your memorandum by demonstrating to your readers that your response is logical, relevant and complete. ● Reference list: At the end of the memo, include a list of full references to the materials, which you have cited.

Understandable and Accessible: Because your audience may come from different backgrounds and may not be experts in the field, an effective policy memo uses clear and simple language (i.e. not the jargon and concepts of an academic discipline in an attempt to impress). A policy memo displays clarity of ideas by providing a well explained, easy to follow and succinct argument. Do not assume that government officials will have read as

widely on the subject as you have. Try to avoid sensationalising the descriptive content of your piece by over- using adjectives; rather, focus on explaining why the evidence you have selected proves that the government should adopt your policy.

Lean lay-out: Policy memos are text heavy documents and do not feature pictures or other decorative elements. In the header, writers often employ a simple format to announce the memo to decision makers. Whether you use this format will not affect the score you receive for your submission but are encouraged to do so. Here is an example:

From: (YOUR NAME) To: (the country you are addressing) Re: (the scenario you are addressing) Date: (date of submission) 3. Information on plagiarism and citation guide

What is plagiarism?

Participants will be disqualified for plagiarism. “Plagiarism occurs both when the words of another are reproduced without acknowledgment, or when the ideas or arguments of another are paraphrased in such a way as to lead the reader to believe that they originated with the writer.”

In other words, plagiarism is the representation of another person’s thoughts or words as though they were your own. In order to avoid plagiarism, make sure you always acknowledge (i.e. cite) the work of others in your policy memo.

There are many citation styles commonly used in academic as well as policy writing. In the Challenge, we ask you to use the APA embedded style to reference your sources.

The APA embedded citation style

Regardless whether you quote or paraphrase, you should always reference your sources with citations. Please use the APA embedded citation style. Its usage is detailed in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed. (2010).

Following the APA embedded style you will reference your sources in the body of the text (citations in parentheses) and fully feature them in the Reference List (full names of authors, title, place of publication, publisher, date, etc.). You can see how we used APA citations in the Background Reading (hyperlink). An easily accessible APA citation guide can be found on the website of Cornell University Library at http://www.library.cornell.edu/resrch/citmanage/apa

4. Further sources to consult

Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Sample Policy Memorandum. Retrieved from http://www.hks.harvard.edu/var/ezp_site/storage/fckeditor/file/pdfs/degree-programs/registrar/sample- policy-memo.pdf

Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Management. (2010). Memo-Writing Guidelines. Retrieved from http://wagner.nyu.edu/students/services/files/WritingMemos.pdf

Young, E., & Quinn, L. (2002). Writing Effective Public Policy Papers: A Guide To Policy Advisers in Central and Eastern Europe. Budapest Local Government and Public Reform Initiative (OSI).

Young, E., & Quinn, L. (2012). Making Research Evidence Matter: A Guide to Policy Advocacy in Transition Countries. Budapest: Open Society Foundations.

III. Evaluation Criteria for Task One

Each policy memorandum will be double graded according to the evaluation criteria below. The organiser will establish the minimum score required to continue to round two of the Challenge after the evaluation of all submissions is completed. Up to 200 participants can continue to the next stage.

You will not be penalised if you are not a native English speaker. Judges will use the evaluation criteria below to assess each student’s contribution, which focuses on the ability to develop analysis and use evidence to support arguments, not language ability.

NOTE: Plagiarism or failing to meet the formal requirements on length (800-1200 words) will lead to disqualification.

|Criteria |Explanation |Maximum |
| | |Score |
|Evidence-based |? The problem is clearly-defined and relates to one of the scenarios |40 |
|analysis and |? Argumentation is coherent throughout the text and ideas are clearly expressed | |
|argumentation |? Evidence – examples, analogies, comparisons, hard data – is effectively | |
| |used to support your analysis and argumentation | |
| |? Analysis shows fresh and innovative thinking | |
| |? Counterarguments and alternative policies are effectively rebutted using evidence | |
| |? Discussion on impact shows consideration of all relevant | |
| |stakeholders and their interests | |
| |? No overuse of jargon and technical terms are explained | |
|Recommendations |? The recommendations address the problem |20 |
| |? The recommendations are feasible and action-oriented | |
| |? The recommendations highlight key assumptions and policies | |
|Structure |? Key structural elements such as the title, problem definition, discussion|20 |
| |of impact, and policy recommendations are well developed and organised | |
| |? The structural elements are well balanced in length | |
| |? A summary of the main arguments and recommendations is provided in the | |
| |conclusion | |
|Citation |? Evidence is backed by reliable sources |20 |
| |? Citations are properly and coherently used throughout the paper | |
| |? APA embedded citation style is used | |
|TOTAL |100 |

The different elements within the criteria are important for you to keep in mind. You will be graded based on how well you meet the elements which will collectively determine your overall grade for each criterion.

We provide general pointers below to make the judging process clearer. Please note, however, that judges will use their qualitative judgment in determining the exact score of your submissions. Judges will provide written feedback on your memos, explaining the given score for each criterion, what they see as the strengths of your paper, and provide brief feedback for improvement.

“Evidence-based analysis and argumentation” (maximum 40 points)

If you base your memorandum solely on your opinion and do not use any evidence to support your claims, your score is likely to remain below 10 points. Similarly, if you fail to define the problem based on one of the four scenarios and do not consider any alternative policies in your policy memo, the judges cannot give you a score beyond 20 points for this criterion. To achieve more than 30 points, you will need to demonstrate innovative thinking, consider all relevant stakeholders when discussing the impact of your policy, and make sure that your argumentation is easy to follow -- meaning you pull together the logic of your argument together in making your case.

“Recommendations” (maximum 20 points)

At minimum your recommendations should address the problem highlighted in the policy memo. If your recommendations are generic or fall outside the realistic domain of competence of the government you are addressing, your score is likely to remain below 10 points. To achieve a higher score, make sure to recommend policies which can be feasibly adopted by your addressee.

“Structure” (maximum 20 points)

If your memo lacks one of the structural elements (title, problem definition, contrasting of counterarguments, discussion of impact, and policy recommendations) and you do not offer a short summary at the end, your score is likely to remain below 10 points. Excellent structure means that you know how to balance the length of the aforementioned structural elements.

“Citation” (maximum 20 points)

If you do not use APA embedded citation style or your sources are not reliable (e.g. from disreputable sources) your score is likely to remain below 10 points. Hence, make sure your citations refer to reliable sources and that you use the APA embedded citation style.
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