Writing Public Policy: A Practical Guide to Communicating in the Policy-Making Process

An accessible, hands-on approach to planning, creating, and assessing public policy documents--now updated with material on online communication

Now in a new edition, Writing Public Policy is a practical, concise guide to writing and communicating in public policy processes. Designed to help students understand and perform common types of communication used in solving public problems, this text explains the standards and functions of communicating in the public sector and teaches the use of selected public policy communication genres. Catherine F. Smith presents a general method for planning, producing, and assessing communications in a variety of real-life contexts and situations of public policy work.

New to the second edition:

* The text is updated to meet the needs of today's tech-savvy students, and now features a new appendix on adapting policy writing to the Web
* Examples show policy problems from a global perspective, and U.S. policy making by all levels of government
* A new appendix on clear writing
* A new companion website (www.oup.com/us/smith) offers additional guidance and writing samples

Hands-on and accessible, Writing Public Policy, Second Edition, teaches know-how and techniques needed to effectively communicate in the democratic process of making public policy. It is a particularly useful tool for any student preparing for a career in politics, government, public relations, law, public policy, journalism, social work, public health, or in any role concerned with public affairs.

Catherine F. Smith is Professor of English at East Carolina University.