Public Affairs 6500: Written and Oral Communications Skills

By the end of this course, students should successfully be able to:

• Write succinctly and support claims with statistically sound quantitative and qualitative evidence, to inform a contemporary policy/management issue and impact the policy process to advance the public interest.
• Speak articulately about policy/management issues with multiple audiences (e.g., presentations to agency executives, legislative testimony) and apply and communicate private/public sector methods of addressing the neoclassical model,
• Facilitate communication about a policy issue with stakeholders, involving preparation, delivery, and response to questions (hostile, neutral and friendly), demonstrating an understanding for the logic of a statistical argument presented for varied audiences in multiple ways and strategic planning for public organizations.
• Be familiar with accepted tools (i.e., policy briefs, briefing memos, one-sheets, video production, and presentations) and channels (virtual, print and in person) for communicating with various policy stakeholders and apply these formats.
• Apply APA style, the expected method for formatting academic and policy-oriented communications, preparing students for future classes and policy publication in their coursework and careers.

70 points total

• Introductory Video (1): In this short video, each student will introduce themselves to the instructors, providing their own “elevator speech.” This is a verbal communications assignment.
• Draft Problem Statement (5): Each student will address one aspect of his/her overall team’s policy issue area in written detail in a policy brief. This short assignment is a building block component part of the larger policy brief assignment (due later in the semester) and will provide a brief description of the policy problem, including relevant background information about its scope, geography, stakeholders, impact, etc.
• Policy Briefing Memo (10): In this written briefing memo to the instructors, the student will identify the problem their brief will address and describe relevant background research on that policy problem. This is another building block component of the overall policy brief assignment.
• Policy Brief Draft (10): This first written draft of the policy brief will include key elements of the cornerstone assignment, covering the problem statement, background research, solution analysis, recommendations, and call to action.
• Hearing Testimony (5): Each student will be assigned a role and background reading to prepare for a brief presentation in front of class during a simulated public hearing. This is a verbal communications assignment.
• Final Policy Brief (20): This final written version of each student’s policy brief will be sent to the project sponsor as part of the group’s portfolio of materials and will include all required elements (narrative and visual).
• Class Participation (14): Students will receive one point for each regular class they attend and in which they actively participate.
• Team Colleague Evaluation (5): You and your project team members will evaluate each of your individual contributions to the project in a survey at the end of the semester.

30 points total

• Sponsor Interview Video (3): A five-minute group video summarizing the sponsor interview where each student plays a role in the delivery of information.
• Policy Group Presentation (3): Each student will prepare a presentation for the full class with their group using mind maps to communicate each individual’s policy focus.
• First Cut of Team Project Deliverable (Video OR Case Study Booklet) (4): The team will either create a five-minute video summarizing their policy problem, analysis, recommendations and call to action OR a 10-page designed case study booklet exploring various angles of the policy problem.
• Final Team Project Deliverable and One-Sheet (10):  The one-sheet is a summary of your group’s recommendations for your sponsor. The one-sheet should highlight and complement the final video or case study booklet. The visual layout should follow the guidelines set forth by Nancy Duarte’s Slideology.
• Final Presentation and Sponsor Q&A (10):  The team will all participate in a final 30-minute Zoom call with the sponsor on December 9. The team will start the session by conducting a 5-minute presentation, summarizing the policy problem examined by the group and key recommendations, answer any questions from the one-sheet, the policy briefs and the video or case study booklet.