Find sources to help you write an effective policy memo, brief or similar document.
Policy writing: purpose & structure
Highly Recommended
- Policy Memos (Bush School)Created by the Bush School of Government & Public Service offers a clear policy memo definition and a framework for developing the memo.
- What makes a good management memo (Evans School)This document offers "suggestions to help you refine your thinking and writing about particular management problems or cases."
Additional Considerations:
- Policy Memo (Kennedy School)This document from the Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government offers a detailed approach to policy organizing and writing the policy memo.
- How to write a policy memo (Kennedy School)This very short, three step process outline a high-level view of policy writing for students. Created by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government's Communication Program.
- Policy Memo (Duke University)From Duke University's Thompson Writing Program, this document outlines key writing concepts to keep in mind regarding content, structure, organization, word choice and clarity.
- Policy Memo Writing Guide (University of Souther California)This guide, prepared by the University of Southern California Libraries provides additional links and resources.
- Policy Memo Writing (Harvard School of Graduate Education, 2024)The Harvard Graduate School of Education developed this guide.
Selected Books: approaches to policy writing
A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis by ISBN: 1071884131Publication Date: 2023-09-20Drawing on more than 40 years of experience with policy analysis, best-selling authors Eugene Bardach and Eric M. Patashnik use practical tips and real-world examples to equip effective, accurate, and persuasive policy analysts. The Seventh Edition of A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis offers new case studies, expanded discussion, new guidance for policy analysis in a polarized age, and step-by-step strategies for the budding analyst as well as the seasoned professional.
Public Policy Writing That Matters by ISBN: 9781421442327Publication Date: 2022-02-01A thoroughly updated and expanded guide to honing your public policy writing skills--and making a significant impact on the world. Professionals across a variety of disciplines need to write about public policy in a manner that inspires action and genuine change. You may have amazing ideas about how to improve the world, but if you aren't able to communicate these ideas well, they simply won't become a reality.
Writing Public Policy by ISBN: 9780190854232Publication Date: 2018-07-16In Writing Public Policy: A Practical Guide to Communicating in the Policy Making Process, Fifth Edition, Catherine F. Smith presents a general method for planning, producing, accessing, and critically analyzing communications in a variety of real-life public policy contexts and situations. This practical, concise guide is ideal for students preparing for careers in politics, government, public relations, law, public policy, journalism, social work, or in any role related to public affairs.
The CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy by ISBN: 9781506348780Publication Date: 2018-10-11The CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy is loaded with rich real world examples that help students master the process of translating insightful policy analysis into clear policy recommendations.
Writing for the Government by ISBN: 9780321427014Publication Date: 2007-09-25The authors of Writing for Government introduce students to the diverse and interesting world of government writing by presenting and discussing a wide range of government documents and Web pages from varied agencies and organizations, producing "adaptable writers" able to write for various positions and purposes.
Effective Writing in the Public Sector by ISBN: 9781317472285Publication Date: 2015-01-28Intended for both students and practitioners in public administration who want to communicate more effectively with a variety of audiences, this book offers clear, easy-to-understand guidelines on how to write more clearly, concisely, and coherently, as well as correctly. It covers the basics of good English and applies those basics to general forms (such as memos, letters, and e-mails) and more specific forms (such as newsletters, proposals, budget justifications, and rules) used in the public sector.
Build your analysis using research sources. Here are a few to consider:
- Policy CommonsSearch millions of documents on thousands of topics from the world’s leading policy experts, nonpartisan think tanks, IGOs and NGOs as well as from North American cities. Featured topics include Black Lives Matter, COVID-19, Climate Change, Gender Equity, and reports from the 500 largest cities in North America. UMN access includes both the Global Think Tanks and North American City Reports modules.
- OvertonOverton is the world’s largest searchable index of policy documents, guidelines, think tank publications and working papers and links them to the research, people and other policy documents that they quote or reference.
Access is limited to 5 simultaneous users across the University of Minnesota system. Current students, faculty, and staff must register and create personal accounts using University of Minnesota e-mail addresses. Please email busref@umn.edu to request the registration link. - Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO)Comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs. Publishes a wide range of scholarship from 1991 onward that includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, proceedings from conferences, books, journals and policy briefs.
- Web of ScienceA comprehensive interdisciplinary collection of journal article citations. Subjects generally covered are within science and technology, arts and humanities, and social sciences. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
- PAIS Index (Political Science and Public Policy)PAIS (Public Affairs Information Service) searches journals and other sources on issues of political science and public policy. This includes government, politics, international relations, human rights and more.
- Voxgov This link opens in a new windowSearch publications, press releases, and social media activity of U.S. government agencies and legislative unites including legislators, department chiefs, and other branches in the federal government. Social media includes Twitter feeds, YouTube videos and other output by government entities. Congressional documents such as hearings are also available.
- Congressional Research Service (CRS) ReportsCRS reports provide Congress with both anticipatory and on-demand research and analysis to support their legislative, oversight, and representational duties. All reports adhere to the core values of CRS; they are authoritative, objective and nonpartisan. Reports range in length from several pages to more than one-hundred pages and cover the full breadth of topics of interest to Congress. Currently, only the last year of reports is available freely through this website. See ProQuest Congressional below for full coverage of CRS reports.
- PluralFollow existing and introduced federal and state legislation across the country or in your state. Plural streamlines how you discover, track, and organize the bills you care about. The platform allows individuals and teams to see what’s happening with similar legislation across the country, find out where bill language reappears over time, and even predict which bills are starting to gain momentum.
- National Conference of State LegislatorsNews, current events, information and analysis to support state legislatures. Bipartisan research on important public policy issues facing state governments.
Find additional resources on the Public Affairs Orientation guide for new researchers.
Citation Sources
Citation Style Guides
- Chicago Manual of Style OnlineThis resource provides online access to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, which covers a variety of topics from manuscript preparation and publication to grammar, usage, and citation formating. The citation quick guide covers both the author-date and the notes and bibliography systems.
- Government Publishing Office (GPO) Style ManualAn official guide to the form style of Federal Government publishing. 2016.
A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis (Bardach and Patashnik, 5th edition, pg 80) references the Journal of Policy Analysis & Management as a model for citation style.
Citation Management Tools (selected)
- Citation Managers (e.g. Zotero, EndNote Online, etc.)Citation managers are software packages used to create personalized databases of citation information and notes. They allow you to: import and organize citation information from article indexes and other sources; save links to pdfs and other documents; format citations for your papers and bibliographies using APA and many other styles; and include your own notes.
- Citation Manager WorkshopsUMN Libraries offers a number of 1-hr. workshops on citation managers throughout the year. These include a general introduction to citation managers as well workshops on Zotero and EndNote. Registration required.
Last Updated: Feb 7, 2025 12:56 PM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/policywriting