Writing for Policy-makers

Abstract

This report outlines issues to be considered by members of the academic community when writing for decision-makers but almost all of the information provided here can inform oral presentations as well. The best way to visualize your relationship to decision-makers is by a comparison to a traditional classroom setting. In the classroom, you as the instructor control the subject matter, the pace of presentation, the length of the discussion, and the extent to which your students are active participants in the discussion. None of these conditions are true in most communications with policymakers. In fact, the best way to visualize the context of your communication is as an inverted classroom where the �pupil(s)� control every aspect of your presentation. Consequently, you must focus on the needs of decision-makers and upon efficient communication of information, regardless of whether you are responding to an inquiry from a decision-maker or are providing information on your own initiative.