Poverty, Hunger and Homelessness: The Policy Paper

The Policy Paper is a large part of the world of the political scientist and the political science student. Often written by government offices, think tanks, non-profits, they can be a wealth of information. Be sure to be aware of the background of the organization responsible for its publication and dissemination, in case you have to allow for bias (bias can work for you or against you or have little effect).

In addition to the project represented by the outline in the adjacent box, students may also be assigned an additional assignment requiring similar resources:

1. Identify a problem related to poverty: hunger, homelessness, malnutrition/obesity, lead poisoning, minimum wage/living wage, high school dropout rates, drug abuse, health care, welfare-to- work, prenatal care, parenting etc.).
2.  It may be a local, regional, or national problem (avoid an international-level problem).
3. Include data from primary and secondary sources that informs the reader (me) about the extent of the problem and the degree to which the problem affects citizens of the United States, The Midwest, the state of Indiana, Vigo County, and/or Terre Haute.
4. Identify possible solution(s) to the problem (your solutions must include policy solutions, not only individual and grassroots actions; your solutions may attack the problem at the local, state, or national level.  Your solutions do not have to attack the problem at all three levels).

5. Please note that a good paper will include at least 3-4 alternative ways to solve the problem (In other words, you MUST include 3-4 alternative policies).

6. Identify which one you believe is the best approach.

7. Persuade your reader that this is the best approach (non-action or keeping things the same (status quo) may also be a choice—inaction is a form of action).

   1. Explicitly identify the strengths and weaknesses in your approach as well as the
      approaches you are arguing are the “lesser” of the alternatives.

   2. Use authoritative, high quality evidence to support your arguments.

   3. Rely heavily on primary sources as well as quantitative data.