WritingPublic Administration Policy Analysis Report
In most instances, you will not have the final say on which policy approach will be adopted by an
organization. That choice usually falls to elected officials or to department heads. In this final
policy analysis paper, you assume the position of a mid-level or senior-level public administrator
who is tasked with identifying a specific problem tied to an organization’s mission, developing
and weighing alternative approaches for addressing the problem, then providing insights into
how to determine if a proposed alternative is successful at some later date.
In this course, you have examined a problem in detail, from differing perspectives, during varied discussions and assignments. In this final policy analysis paper, you are tying all those threads
together into a single, cohesive paper.
In your final paper:
Identify a specific problem that a public organization must address and analyze it, providing
examples of the potential consequences to the community if the problem is left unaddressed.
Discuss how that problem is tied to the organizational mission.
Identify various factors that might influence the development and continuation of this problem in
the community.
Identify and evaluate at least three alternatives that might be used to eliminate or minimize this
problem in this community, using a cost-benefit analysis. One of the alternatives must be the
status quo.
Evaluate the identified alternatives in terms of the potential staffing, funding, logistical support,
and authority the public agency will need to implement each of the identified alternatives.
Analyze how each of the proposed alternatives will meet the needs of the community, including
diverse groups within the community.
Analyze the importance of conducting the policy analysis in an ethical manner, ensuring that all
efforts of the organization are directed at mission attainment.
Analyze metrics that might be used to determine success for each of the alternatives if it is
implemented in the future.
Assignment Requirements
Resources: Your ideas must be supported with recent, scholarly sources that are properly cited
and referenced in APA style.
Number of pages: Your assignment should be at least 15 pages, double-spaced, excluding the
cover page, abstract (if included), and references.
APA style and format: All materials must be submitted in APA style and format (see Faculty
Expectations for further information on APA).
Remember, adherence to APA requires that all statements of objective fact that are not
considered common knowledge must be supported by a credible source (using both a citation
and a reference).
Font: Times New Roman 12-point.
Introduction and Conclusion: Remember to include both an introductory paragraph and a
paragraph of conclusions. This is a fundamental requirement of proper, standard American
English.
Important: Earlier courseroom activities, including discussions and assignments, were designed
to help in the development of this final policy analysis paper. You are free to integrate materials
from those earlier discussions and assignments into this final paper. However, do not simply cut
and paste materials in their entirety. The final paper must be a standalone project on its own,
which means you can integrate the materials as needed, but the organization and flow must
represent that of a single research paper.
