formulate a ‘policy brief’ on a specific issue of interest relevant to our
class readings to date. A policy brief is a very common and useful form of professional
communication. In a short and focused 4-5-page (typed) essay, students will identify and briefly
summarize a particular issue of concern, while also identifying some recommendations for
change. This essay is worth 30% of your final grade so a strong effort will be rewarded and
sloppy work will bring consequences.
To develop a policy brief, evidence is essential. Students must use class-assigned readings as an
evidentiary base. All students will use at least two of the data sets from Joni Seager’s The
Women’s Atlas. For example, students writing about the importance of limiting child marriage
might compare and contrast the data on child marriage in the US (p. 26) and the data on child
marriage around the world (p. 27). Then they might also compare that data to information about
the global gender gap (p. 15) or global education standards (p. 147). The data that you choose
will relate to your specific arguments so there is no exact standard of what data you should use
(or how much) beyond the general requirement of using at least two sets of information.
As the goal of this assignment is to demonstrate your analysis of the course readings and ideas,
please do not use outside sources. That said, while students must use The Women’s Atlas, you
may use assigned documents such as the policy brief on immigration, editorials on race and
maternal mortality or reforming norms of masculinity, or any of the initial data that we used to
assess equity in Week 1.
Below, you will find further guidelines on developing this policy brief. The instructor has
provided some general prompt areas for students to begin brainstorming their interests. Students
should use these prompts as a starting point to develop their own specialized and individualized
analysis.