You will write a public policy analysis about a national, state, or local issue that interests you. It should be coming from your perspective, not the legislators’. Be sure to focus on a policy that is part of current public discourse; if it already is in place, this means that policymakers are considering changes to the policy.
- Research a current national, state, or local public policy, either recently enacted or under consideration. This list provides examples of popular national, state, and local public policy topics that may help you narrow your search:
- gun control
- animal rights
- government mandates
- social media regulation
- infrastructure
- pollution
- public safety (ex: curfews)
- immigration
- education (ex: school safety, state standards, testing)
- Use the Policy Analysis Template to write a public policy analysis. Be sure to answer the following questions in your analysis:
- What is the policy intended to do? (Explain the purpose of the current or proposed public policy.)
- What are the policy’s direct and external costs and benefits for different groups of people? (Explain who benefits and who bears the costs of the current or proposed policy, and how. Include third-party costs and benefits.)
- What is your recommendation regarding the current or proposed policy? (Identify whether you support the policy, support it with changes (be specific), or reject it.)
- What are the reasons for and the evidence to support your recommendation? (Explain your reasoning with specific, verifiable facts and details.)
- Include your sources of information in MLA Format.
