At the beginning of the paper, explain who the target audience is (i.e., the decision-maker for your policy proposal) and the main points that the decision-maker should know. It may be best to write this section last because it will serve as a summary of the entire paper.
At a minimum, the summary should include the following:
A statement of current policy, i.e., a description of existing approaches or policies for addressing the issue
Reasons for initiating changes
Policy options considered, including at least 3 alternative approaches for addressing the issue selected
Pros and cons of each option, including their strengths and limitations, using data and other information, as well as costs and benefits, either quantitatively or qualitatively presented.
Recommended course of action and your reasoning for selecting that course of action
Body of Paper
The main part of the paper is dedicated to establishing the background and discussing the reasoning behind the policy recommendation made. Include all of the basics from the executive summary, but fully elaborate on each point that the paper makes. The main body of the paper should include.
Overview/Background
Statement of purpose–Why should the decision-maker consider a policy change at this time? This should be a short section introducing the problem/issue you with to research. The purpose of this section is to give the reader an immediate indication of the issue you are addressing and why it is significant. Be very explicit about the subject matter and define the terms of your analysis.
Review of the Current Policy–What is currently done, why, what is the public’s perception of the policy? Assess how well is it working or not working? This section should provide some background to the topic so readers immediately understand the context. It should also mention the key stakeholders involved with the issue and why the topic selected is important to public administration
Statement on the Necessity for Change–What circumstances make a new approach advisable or necessary?
Discussion
Discuss the alternatives to the current policy option by enumerating and explaining each policy option in turn.
Pros/cons, strengths/weaknesses, and the costs/benefits of each policy option are discussed next. Identify the political, economic, and social implications for each option and compare and contrast each to the others as well as to the current policy. This is the most important part of the paper.
Recommendation
Clearly identify which option you recommend and which options you think should be discounted.
Clearly lay out the argument for why the selected option is better than each of the others.
Implementation
Write a detailed recommendation for specific steps on how and when to implement the recommended policy option. Consider the various stakeholders likely for and against the option and their likely strengths and weaknesses in successfully achieving their goals.
References and Endnotes