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Cahn's Website

Contact Dr. Cahn

Course Syllabus (MPA 640)

Policy Brief Format

Sample Policy Brief

Policy Brief Evaluation Form

Policy Analysis Paper Format

Sample Policy Analysis

Policy Analysis Evaluation Form

JFK PAE Writing Guide

JFK PAEs Homepage

Sample PAES

Congressional Budget Office Studies
and Reports

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MPA 640
Policy Analysis
California State University Northridge

Fall 2006

Dr. Matthew Cahn

Professor and Chair
Department of Political Science
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA  91330-8254
cahn@csun.edu
(818) 677-
3488
 

Public policy is the intersection of social, cultural, political, and economic demands.  This course examines methods for analyzing public policy, beginning with problem identification, formation of alternative policy responses, and methods of selecting the most appropriate policy response, including quantitative and qualitative assessments. 

This is a course about Public Policy Analysis -- or more clearly, about ways policy staff evaluate and select policy options.  Consequently, the primary focus is on areas that public agencies deal with, and on options generally available to government.  This suggests that there are opportunities and stumbling blocks which are uniquely tied to public agencies.  And, while much of what we discuss is applicable to private sector organizations, public organizations are fundamentally different than non-public. 

Class Links:

Sample Policy Analyses
    
Channel Islands Marine Reserve Analysis

     CBO Sample Analysis Paper "Trends in Public Infrastructure Spending"

     Kennedy School PAE Samples

Bardach's Eight-Fold Path
Policy Brief Format (6-8 pages)

Policy Analysis Format (20-25 pages)

Writing Guides and Resources:

MLA Online Style Guide
Writing Manuals and Guides (Hanover College)
Harvard:
The Writing Center
Purdue:
Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Illinois Urbana:
The Writers' Workshop

Additional Resources For Policy Analysis:

Policy Information

Institute for Women’s Policy Research
Public-Policy.org

Federal Government Offices and Agencies

FedWorld (US Gov Web Directory)
Directory (LSU)

Federal Statutes and Regulations

FirstGov Reference Center 
Federal Law Resources (Technical)
United States Code (Searchable Code of Federal Statutes)

US Code of Federal Regulations (Searchable)

Academic Policy and Politics Resources

National Association of Schools of Public Affairs (NASPAA)
American Political Science Association (APSA)
International Political Science Resources

General Political Science Resources from UC Irvine

The Presidential Elections

CNN's Election 2000
CNN's Election 2004
General Information on the Electoral College
     (Federal Election Commission)

Issue Areas

The 2005-2007 Congress
Odd Facts of Federal Elected Officials (Salaries, Names, Histories, etc.)

Federal Government and Resources
State Government Resources

 

 


Matthew Cahn
Professor, Department of Political Science
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA  91330-8254
cahn@csun.edu
(818) 677-
3488