Enlightenment Webquest - Process

Process

As a public policy analyst, you need to develop the following policy skills:

• Defining the social problem
• Gather evidence to support the existence of the problem
• Determine the causes and factors contributing to the problem
• Evaluate the policy
• Comparative Analysis

Developing these skills will help you fill out the five worksheets due as part of the second task.

1. IDENTIFY A SOCIAL PROBLEM IN THE WORLD

• What social problems are affecting people in the world? These problems can include environmental, political, or health concerns.
• Worksheet #1 - Identify the Problem
  • Public Policies
  • Public Policy Topics
  • Social Problems in the World Today

2. GATHER EVIDENCE OF THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

• How do you know that this social problem exists?
• Worksheet #2 - Gather the Evidence

3. DETERMINE THE CAUSES AND FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM

• Why is this problem happening? Look at all sides to the problem.
• Worksheet #3 - Determine the Causes

4. EVALUATE YOUR POLICY

• Discuss whether your policy will succeed. If not, discuss alternative solutions.
• Worksheet #4 - Evaluate the Policy

5. COMPARE YOUR SOCIAL PROBLEM WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED IN THE WORLD

• How are these two problems similar? Is your proposed policy similar to the way in which this other problem was solved?
• Worksheet 5 - Comparative Analysis