Policy brief (20%)

For this assignment, identify a topical development issue in your country of interest and prepare a policy brief targeted at a senior level government personnel in your country of interest. Your policy brief should provide research and analysis to illustrate the significance of the identified issue. Include facts, analysis, and recommendations to facilitate a sustainable solution to the issue.

Your brief should provide evidence and be structured to convince the reader that the issue discussed is a significant development issue that deserves urgent attention. The policy brief should also provide evidence to illustrate that the proposed strategies will contribute significantly to improve the situation. The policy brief should be between 1000-1200 words, excluding references. Keep in mind that policy briefs are meant to provide evidence-based advice and
inform policymaking. Language must be simple and concise and appropriate for the audience. References should be properly included using the APA referencing style.

Policy Brief Marking Rubric

Clarity of argument                                                                                                                             20
Aim is clear                                                                                                                                                 /5
Problem is clearly stated and backed with evidence                                                                          /5
Recommended actions are clear and specific                                                                                      /5
All information is necessary for the development of the argument                                                /5

Content is Appropriate for a lay audience                                                                                10
Significance of the issue is clear to a lay audience                                                                              /5
Understandable without specialized knowledge                                                                                 /5
Language is Clear, Concise, and Engaging                                                                                           10
Words are not unnecessarily complex, limited use of jargons                                                         /5
Text is engaging, sentences are not cluttered with unnecessary words or phrases                     /5

Presentation is Effective                                                                                                                    10
Text is broken into sections with subtitles, and headings cue the key points to follow              /5
References are provided in a consistent format                                                                                  /5

_____________ /50 points