Writing Resources

• Keep it short and memorable.
• Use it to capture the reader’s attention.
• It should communicate the purpose of the brief.

Executive Summary

The purpose of this section is to provide the reader with a high-level overview of the policy brief.

• The section is 1-2 paragraphs in length.
• The problem or issue is clearly stated.
• It provides the main focus of the solution.

This section provides details about the problem and convinces the reader that immediate action is necessary.

• Focuses on the problem.
• It provides 4 or 5 of the most important facts concerning the failures of the current policy.
• This section concludes with information about the impact of the current failures.

The purpose of this section is to convince the reader of the best solution.

• Discuss the current policy.
• Provide a discussion of the alternatives considered.
• Provide information concerning how each option was evaluated.
• Provide the reader with a balanced argument discussing why the chosen option is the best alternative.
• This section sometimes includes examples, data, comparisons, and visuals (graphs, tables, charts).

This section is the “how-to” section. Explain how the preferred option will be implemented.

• Includes an overview of what actions need to be taken by each stakeholder.
• The steps need to be practical.
• The reader should understand how the actions work together to achieve the desired result.  
• This section sometimes includes visuals (graphs, tables, charts).

This section contains a reference list of the resources used to support the information provided in the policy brief.