JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE The City University of New York 445 W.

59th Street New York, N.Y. 10019 PAD 739: Introduction to Policy Analysis That might be true, but its not what anyone believes. Department of Public Management Professor: Dr. Wendy P. Guastaferro Email: wpguastaferro@gmail.com Office hours: on line and appointment by phone

Updated:
2/14/2013 3/3/2013

****THIS IS AN ON-LINE COURSE100% ON LINE. We will not meet in person during the semester. You will need regular, quality access to your John Jay email, the course website (http://www.pad739.wordpress.com) , and BlackBoard via John Jay.*** I. Course Description Interpreting and solving complex problems are everyday activities for public administrators, policy analysts and decision-makers, whether they are operating in international, regional, national or local political environments. In this course students will be introduced to a variety of techniques and perspectives that can be applied in real world public policy situations. Becoming more flexible thinkers is essential to learning how to improve public policy analysis, decision-making and management. Rigid, one-dimensional approaches to understanding complex problems often stem from, among other things, constraints relating to how we perceive time, space, dimension of problems, level of political response, form of governance, and culture and/or gender. II. Course Goals and Objectives Whether you think you can or think you cant, you are right Henry Ford.

Goal #1: Participate in and contribute to the policy process Objective: Develop knowledge of, and apply different policy process models to, various policy, organizational and management topics Objective: Be able to plan a research or policy analysis project that makes appropriate use of empirical research tools such as data collection, sampling and statistical analysis

Goal #2: Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions Objective: Demonstrate reading, writing and analytical skills necessary for decision-making Objective: Be able to define and diagnose decision situations, collect and analyze data, develop and implement effective courses of action, and evaluate results Goal #3: Articulate and apply a public service perspective Objective: Identify how the values of diversity, equity, integrity, ethical conduct, efficiency, effectiveness, and professionalism shape the formulation and implementation of public policy Goal #4: Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry Objective: Be able to organize and communicate information to a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry by means of oral presentations, written documents and digital media Goal #5: Apply professional and political knowledge and skills to public administration and policy analysis Objective: Demonstrate this ability

III.

Course Communications

All e-mail communication will be to your jjay e-mail accounts. You must check this account regularly to keep up with any course announcements. We will be using the Blackboard course site and the WordPress site (http://www.pad739.wordpress.com) for some readings, for downloading and uploading assignments, and for other communications as needed. We are a diverse group of adults working together to develop your analytical and communication skills. To become empathetic, ethical and effective policymakers, you will need to be comfortable working with, working in and communicating in diverse, often highly charged political environments. Please be respectful and courteous of your colleagues in our course discussions. Please feel free and encouraged to draw on your personal experiences in New York City and elsewhere and in your professions when thinking about and analyzing the readings and course content. Our lived experiences are fundamental in our professional development.

IV.

Required Texts & Readings:

Bardach, Eugene (2009). A Practical Guide to Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving (4th Edition). New York/London: Chatham House Publishers, Seven Bridges Press, LLC. Patton, Sawicki and Clark. (2013). Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning (3rd edition). Other readings/posts/articles as assigned. You should also read or listen to the local and national news daily. The NY Times, Washington Post, WNYC, NY1, the BBC, Al-Jazeera, ProPublica, and the PBS Newshour are all reliable, quality news resources. Readings not in the required texts will be available on Blackboard or WordPress.

V.

Course Requirements and Grading Grading Scale Grades will be calculated by dividing the total earned points by total possible points. All numeric grades are translated to letter equivalents as follows: 93-100 (A); 90-92 (A-); 87-89 (B+); 83-86 (B); 80-82 (B-); 77-79 (C+); 73-76 (C); 72 or below (C-) Assignments You are expected to complete the course readings, as well as read the WordPress site and participate meaningfully in weekly on-line discussions. This class is structured to train you in the foundations of policy analysis and prepare you for the Capstone. To that end, you will choose a policy topic for exploration over the semester. I encourage you to choose something you would also be interested in working on in the Capstone course. This course gives you the opportunity to begin research and developing your analysis of that topic now. There are 5 required assignments. Every student must complete each of these assignments. There are also 3 or 4 additional assignments. These Menu assignments provide you with options to fulfill the course requirements. Whether you have to do 3 or 4 Menu assignments depends on the point values of the assignments you select. Please see the ASSIGNMENTS section below. This doc has also been saved as a standalone handout and can be found at the WordPress site under Course Info.

ASSIGNMENTS. Remember this is a 100% online course. All assignments are due electronically, via the Word Press course page, or Blackboard. Due dates can be found at p.3 below. There are required assignments that all students must complete. The remaining assignments are presented in a menu format where students will select assignments they are most interested in and that total at least 90 points. Please review the following carefully. I will put a video post on our WordPress site walking you through it.

Required Assignments EVERYONE COMPLETES THESE Assignment 1 Focus: Knowledge, Skills, Recall, Understanding Assignment 2 Focus: Knowledge, Skills, Recall, Understanding Assignment 3

Brief description

Point value

Twitter and video introduction

30

Eli Pariser TED lecture and Quizzes 1 and 2 on Patton et al Chapter 1 and 2

30

Weekly Class Participation (14 weeks starting Feb 4) Meaningful contributions to Twitter, Discussion Boards, on WordPress site. I cannot stress it enough: meaningful contributions.

140

Focus:

Assignment 4 Presentation on policy issue Focus: Problem Solving Assignment 5 Professor / Student Meetings

Due at end of semester; details to follow.

100

2 during the semester Will occur on video chat or instant messenger as you begin working on your MENU assignments.
4

20

Students Choice Assignments

Menu of Assignments 6 8 or 9 (whether you have 3 or 4 assignments will depend on point values) You will select a combination of assignments that are most meaningful to you. You need to select assignments that will total 90 points at a minimum At least 2 assignments must be from different focus areas Due dates are set by the professor, see calendar below All assignments require incorporation of course texts and materials Additional, specific information for each assignment will follow Two examples: You may select A, B, and C = 90 points (focus areas: 2 Knowledge and 1 Synthesis). Or You may select B, F, G, and J = 95 points (focus areas: 1 Knowledge, 2 Analysis, and 1 Synthesis) Menu Item Brief description of assignment Point Value of Assignment (need to be able to earn minimum 90 points total) A) Quizzes Quizzes on Pattons chapters 3-9. Must 50 complete 5 of 7 quizzes. See calendar below Focus: for additional information. Knowledge, Skills, Recall, Understanding B) Quotes You will receive 1-2 quotes I have selected from the readings. You will post a discussion question and comment to get the class talking. You will monitor the posts and keep the discussion moving forward. Challenge: how do you move past people giving bland, yeah I agree sorts of responses? (Because those are not acceptable!) Create a poster or exhibit that illustrates your understanding of the first half (through March 22) or the last half (April 1 thru May) of the semesters key course topics, issues, or ideas. Apply at least 3 points from course readings. Select a slogan/key message from a current policy issue/debate. Determine the intended audience, identify an idea/product/service or objective the quote was meant to promote, analyze why the point was persuasive or not. Apply at least 3 points from the readings in address points above.
5

15

Focus: Knowledge, Skills, Recall, Understanding

C) Poster or exhibit Focus: Synthesis and creative thinking D) Policy Slogans in the Media Focus: Application and performance

25

20

Menu Item

Brief description of assignment

E) Analytic Memo Focus: Analysis and Critical Thinking F) Dialogical Thinking Focus: Analysis and Critical Thinking G) Graphic Organizer Focus: Synthesis and Creative Thinking H) Insights-ResourcesApplication (IRAs) Focus: Application and Performance I) Directed Paraphrase Focus: Application and Performance

Students will engage in activities that constitute a critical analysis. You will break the process down into component parts or roles and assess each component.

Maximum Point Value of Assignment (need to be able to earn 90 points total) 30

Students will identify a debated/controversial policy issue, analyze a source on the topic (an article, video, etc.), assess the persuasiveness of the piece.

20

Create graphic organizer that converts complex information into a meaningful display.

30

In conjunction with an assigned reading, students develop responses to these three components: new perceptions or understandings (Insights), a resource they have found that amplifies the readings themes or information (Resources), and an example from the students own experiences. Students select 2 important public policy principles, theories, concepts, or arguments that are complex or are typically conveyed using highly specialized vocabulary into simpler language that will be understood by a designated audience. The purpose is to compare the information that the general public would normally see with what we know is accurate according to academic sources. Your task is to first summarize what you find in the two sources. Next you are to analyze the portrayal of the policy issue in the popular press article by using course resources and the other academic source as your expert against which you evaluate the popular source. Do not spend the entire paper summarizing your original source. The goal is to evaluate 6 critically the portrayal of the policy issue.

30

30

J) Popular Press Critique

30

Focus: Analysis and Critical Thinking

DUE DATES
ASSIGNMENT # 1 2 3 4 Description Twitter / Video Intro Eli Pariser / Patton Ch 1 & 2 quizzes **Ch 1 & 2 quizzes on Blackboard due 2/18** Weekly participation Policy Presentations Due date Monday Feb 4, midnight Monday Feb 11, midnight Evaluated every Tuesday May 9 and May 16 *Students will have to assess other students presentations-the due date for these reviews is Weds May 22 As scheduled. Monday March 18 Monday April 8 Monday April 29 Monday May 6

5 6 7 8 9

2 Meetings w. Dr. G. Students Choice * Students Choice Students Choice Students Choice (only if you have 4th menu assignment)

QUIZZES. *The exception to this schedule is the Quizzes. Quizzes are 10 questions worth 1 point each, completed via Blackboard. You must earn 80% or above on each quiz (not the average of all quizzes). Quizzes will only be released to students who select this option and are due by Monday at midnight of the week the chapter will be assigned. On Tuesdays, all students will have access to the quiz questions for even more learning! If you select the Quizzes assignment you must complete 5 of the following 7 quizzes by midnight: Quiz 3 Chapter 4 Quiz 4 Chapter 5 Quiz 5 Chapter 3 Quiz 6 Chapter 6 Quiz 7 Chapter 7 Quiz 8 Chapter 8 Quiz 9 Chapter 9 Friday Mar 1 Monday Mar 11 Monday March 25 Monday April 15 Monday April 22 Monday April 29 Monday May 6 ***Note dates for quizzes*** The dates here are correct as of 3/2/2013

Please note 3/25 is the week of spring break. Quiz will be released on Mon Mar 18 so you'll have plenty of time to finish before spring break.

Students with Disabilities Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable academic accommodations if determined eligible by the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS). Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a students eligibility from the OAS which is located at L66 in the new building (212-2378031). It is the students responsibility to initiate contact with the office and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor. Statement of College Policy about Plagiarism Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else's ideas, words or artistic, scientific or technical work as one's own creation. Using the ideas or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism. It is the student's own responsibility to recognize the difference between statements that are common knowledge (which do not require documentation) and restatements of the ideas of others. Paraphrase, summary, and direct quotation are acceptable forms of restatement, as long as the source is cited. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The Library has free guides designed to help students with problems of documentation. VI. Course Outline

**Students should expect to spend at least 1-1.5 hours per week on readings/posts/blogs etc. as indicated by Dr. G. via Twitter, WordPress, or email. Jan 28 Feb 4 Introduction / getting set up on line (Assignment 1 due 2/4/2013) Introduction to Policy Analysis Readings: Bardach, Introduction Patton et al., Ch.1, The Need for Simple Methods of Policy Analysis

Feb 11 Policy Analysis Process and Analyst Readings: Bardach, Appendix A, Specimen Of A Real-World Policy Analysis Patton et al., Ch.2, The Policy Analysis Process Feb 18 25 Step One: Problem Framing Bardach, Step One: Define the Problem Bardach, Appendix C, Understanding Public and Nonprofit Institutions: Asking the Right Questions Patton et al., Ch. 4, Verifying, Defining and Detailing the Problem Feb 25 Mar 4 Step Two: Establishing Evaluation Criteria Bardach, Step 4: Select the Criteria Patton et al., Ch.5, Establishing Evaluation Criteria March 11 Establishing Evaluation Criteria Readings TBD.

Readings:

Readings:

Readings:

March 18

Using Evidence in Policy Analysis Bardach, Step Two, Assemble Some Evidence and Part II, Assembling Evidence Patton et al., Ch.3, Crosscutting Methods

Readings:

March 25

SPRING BREAK

April 1

Using Evidence in Policy Analysis

9

Readings:

TBD, but likely series of articles/reports on policy issue allowing us to compare whether solutions are analogous, replicable, etc., as well as evidence that supports them

April 8

Step 3: Selecting Alternatives Readings: Bardach, Step Three, Construct the Alternatives Patton et al., Ch. 6, Identifying the Alternatives Bardach, Appendix B, Things Governments Do

April 15

Step 4: Analyzing Alternatives Bardach, Steps Five and Six, Project the Outcomes and Confront the Trade-Offs Patton et al., Ch. 7, Evaluating Alternative Policies

Readings:

April 22

Step 5: Making a Recommendation Bardach, Steps Seven and Eight, Decide! and Tell Your Story Patton et al., Ch. 8, Displaying Alternatives and Distinguishing Among Them

Readings:

April 29 Readings:

Implementation Considerations Bardach, Part 3 Smart (Best) Practices Research: Understanding And Making Use Of What Look Like Good Ideas From Somewhere Else p.109-123. Patton et al., Ch. 9, Monitoring and Evaluating Implemented Policies

May 9 May 16 May 22

Final presentations Group 1 Final presentations Group 2 Last day to submit review of other students presentations (details to follow)

10