Question: Much of the policy analysis that is used in public debates today comes from interest groups that are strongly committed to one side of the issue or another or from think tanks that espouse a particular ideology on the left or the right. Do you think these policy commitments make the quality of the analysis suspect? Why or why not? Please be sure that you make reference to at least one specific think thank in your response.

Required Textbook: Kraft, Michael E.. Public Policy. SAGE Publications. (Like to the Powerpoint which must be cited a few times will be shared upon acceptance of bid).

Requirements for original responses:

A clear thesis statement, which directly addresses the question posed and gives readers an indication of the argument you plan to make;

Direct reference to the text and/or PowerPoint slides (to illustrate your comprehension of the reading materials); To be clear, you MUST reference the text in order to receive full credit for your submission.

A body of factual examples that support your thesis and develop your argument; these examples should be drawn from the assigned readings and properly cited sources researched independently by the student; In addition to the textbook, you must cite credible, reliable, academic sources. You may use major media sources, too – NY Times, Washington Post, BBC, NPR, CNN, etc. Responses that don’t have substantial and significant references to the textbook AND outside sources will receive a grade no higher than a D.

A coherent paragraph structure that emphasizes the main points of your argument and college-level English with multiple paragraphs. Must be followed by a succinct concluding paragraph.These responses do not need to be long essays, but they do need to be substantial and thoughtful, and demonstrate your attempt to understand the materials. If it appears that you are Googling answers or taking any other shortcuts (anything other than reading the materials and undertaking independent research), you may not receive credit.