BOSTON
COLLEGE
|
John McNutt
Fall, 2000
McGuinn 304
552.4036
| Course Description: |
This seminar offers advanced training in policy analysis and policy research that can be applied in a wide range of macro practice settings including policy practice, administration, community organization and planning. The course builds on the Graduate School of Social Work's foundation sequences in social policy and research methodology.
The focus of the course is the development of the ability to identify researchable policy issues, design appropriate research procedures, collect data, analyze results, develop conclusions and make recommendations. This includes a combination of political and organizational skills, in addition to methodology skills. Students will be given the opportunity to develop skills in working with internal and external stakeholders, giving testimony, preparing documents and assessing decision-making environments. Skills in lobbying and influence development will be emphasized.
The development of information technology has not only revolutionized the research process -- it has lead to changes in policy advocacy and implementation. This course includes a considerable component that links information technology to the policy research enterprise. The following tools will be examined: Project, PowerPoint, Access, Word [for Desktop Publishing], Microsoft Project, Excel, SPSS, SAS and FrontPage [for Webpage development].
As we move into the new millennium, several forces are significant in the study of social welfare policy. Decentralization, devolution and the rise of the hollow state are one set of forces. The rise of the global information economy is another. There are also changes in the nature of the policy-process and the nature of the American political landscape. All of these forces promise to bring changes to how policy research and advocacy is conducted.
| Course Objectives |
Students will master the following competencies during the completion of the course:
Knowledge
 | demonstrate a general understanding of the policy process in social welfare; |
| demonstrate an understanding of the role of research and policy analysis within the policy enterprise; |
| demonstrate an understanding of the application of qualitative and quantitative research methodology for addressing policy relevant questions; |
| demonstrate an understanding of the multiple roles of policy researchers; |
Skills
| demonstrate an ability to frame policy relevant research questions; |
| demonstrate an ability to access the policy literature relevant to research questions; |
| demonstrate an ability to design research to address policy questions; |
| demonstrate an ability to collect data and conduct analysis using standard statistical programs [SPSS, SAS]; |
| demonstrate an ability to draw policy-relevant conclusions; |
| demonstrate an ability to use presentation software [PowerPoint, Persuasion] in presentation to decision-makers; |
| demonstrate an ability to create memoranda, reports and other documents using desk top publishing techniques; |
Values
| demonstrate and understanding of the ethical issues involved in policy research; |
| demonstrate a deeper understanding of social and economic justice and the impact of social policies on populations at risk; |
| Course Format |
Students are expected to participate in all class discussions and are responsible for all readings. This course is taught in seminar fashion and I do not plan to do much lecturing. In addition, there are two team projects. Policy research is typically done in teams and building a productive working relationship is critical. I will also be setting up a discussion list for this class that will allow you to communicate with each other and with me. You are expected to use this tool in your work.
| Assignments |
Devolution Project: This team project involves selecting an issue from welfare reform or managed care and developing a research effort to address the issue. Projects will use the Urban Institute's Assessing Federalism Database. This is a comprehensive database that contains over 170 devolution-relevant variables. The database is written in Microsoft Access and can be downloaded from the institute's web site at http://www.urban.org. The team will identify a problem, review the policy literature, design a research project, access the data set, conduct analysis using SPSS or SAS and draw policy-relevant conclusions.
Electronic Advocacy Web Page Project: Each team is also expected to create a webpage on the same topic as above that (1) summarizes the issue (2) provides research findings and (3) provides resources [Links, Bibliography or other Materials] that further explain the issue. Each group is also expected to submit a memorandum explaining how their site can be used in electronic advocacy.
| WARNING!!! All written material must be typed, carefully proofread, stapled together and in proper APA format. All materials must be carefully documented. Using the work of another without proper attribution is plagiarism and considered cheating. When in doubt, use a footnote. |
Grading
| The grading system for
courses in the Graduate School of Social Work is as follows: A = Excellent performance. Understanding and performance eclipses, transcends, exceeds, surpasses work of all others. A- = Approaches excellence in performance, but lacks near perfect understanding in all content areas. B+ = Good. Demonstrates sound general understanding and performance. Lacks the precision associated with excellence, but is somewhat above the average expected of graduate students in this content area. B = Competent work. Has adequate understanding and performance expected of graduate students in this content area. B- = Approaches competence, but has minor deficits in general understanding in some course content areas. Performance is slightly below "average" expectations at the graduate level. C = Problematic performance. While the student is not without knowledge in this content area, he/she lacks a sufficient range of knowledge to enable him/her to use the information with an appropriate level of understanding. F = Failure. Level of understanding and performance is so deficient that all others surpass him/her in understanding and performance in this content area. |
| Required Texts |
Bardach, E. (1995). Policy analysis: A Handbook for Practice. Seattle: Public service curriculum exchange.
Bennett, D. & Fielding, P. (1999). The Net Effect: How Cyber-Advocacy is Changing the Political Landscape. Merrifield, VA: E-Advocates Press
Schorr, L. (1997). ). Common purpose: Strengthening families and neighborhoods to rebuild America. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
Smucker, R. (1999).The Non-profit lobbying guide.[Second Edition] Washington: The Independent Sector.
| Course Outline |
| Class | Week of | Topics and Readings |
| 1 | 9/4 | Overview of the Course: This session will discuss the nature of the course and the assignments. Teams will be formed for the research project. |
| 2 | 9/11 | Policy Analysis and Policy
Research--Context, Roles and Processes: This section considers the role of policy
research and policy analysis within the contemporary policy enterprise. The changing
nature of the policy environment will be considered and trends such as devolution,
privatization, the rise of networks and the hollow state will be examined. The impact of
welfare reform, managed care and privatization on the American welfare state is
considered. Roles of the policy researcher are also examined. Required Readings: Bardach, (1995) 1-41. Schorr, L. B. (1997). 3-64 Websites Urban Institute www.urban.org |
| 3 | 9/18-9/25 | Problem Definition: These
two sessions consider the methods used to identify and refine policy problems. Topics
discussed include exploring the dimensions of a problem, problems vs. issues, normative
dimensions of social problems, characteristics of policy problems and so forth. Issues of
diversity, populations at risk and social and economic justice are considered. Technology: We will discuss how a project manager, like Microsoft Project, can facilitate the policy research process. We will also discuss the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the problem definition process. Team Checkpoint Each team submits research questions to the instructor along with a general statement about methodology. Readings: Reserve: Dunn, W.N. (1994). Public Policy Analysis. [Second Edition]. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 97-110. Websites WK Kellogg Foundation http://www.wkkf.org/ |
| 4 | 10/2 | Secondary Data Sources for
Policy Research: This section will examine the use of secondary data in policy
research. Topics include identifying and accessing data sets, database principles, major
database management programs [such as Access, Approach, Oracle, DB5 and File Maker],
evaluating documentation and evaluating problems in secondary data Technology We will review a major database management program and construct a dummy database in class. Readings Reserve: Sieppert, J.D., McMurty, S.L. & McClelland, R.W. (1997). Utilizing existing statistics. In Grinnell, R.M. Social work research and evaluation [Fifth Edition]. Itasca: F.E. Peacock. Websites Census Bureau www.census.gov |
| 5 | 10/9 | Using the Policy Literature:
This class will discuss the use of the policy literature. Primary and secondary sources
are reviewed. Team Checkpoint Each team hands in a brief statement of their general research project direction Technology Considerable attention will be given to use of on-line sources, especially on-line databases [such as LEXIS/NEXIS], the Internet and the rise of PUSH technologies. Information literacy procedures are discussed. Readings Reserve: Dunn, W.N. (1994). Public Policy Analysis. [Second Edition]. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 40-43, 64-93, 360-367. Websites Guidestar www.guidestar.org |
| 6 | 10/16 | Selecting Criteria: The
selection of alternatives and the eventual act of addressing policy problems depends of
the criteria selected. This session discusses sources and methods for selecting criteria. Team Checkpoint Each team submits the results of the preliminary literature review Readings Koshel, J. (1997). Indicators as tools for managing and evaluating programs at the national, state and local levels of government: Practical and theoretical issues. Madison: University of Wisconsin, Institute for research on poverty, Special report #73. Available on-line @ http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp Websites UWA Outcome Measurement Project http://www.unitedway.org/local.cfm?id=100000&zip=00000 |
| 8 | 10/23 | Creating Alternatives:
This session discusses the creation of alternative solutions to policy problems.
Strategies for identifying existing alternatives are reviewed (literature, networking) and
methods for generating unique alternatives are examined (brainstorming, synectics). Team Checkpoint Each team submits an outline of the basic research design Readings Reserve: Dunn, W.N. (1994). Public Policy Analysis. [Second Edition]. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 225-239. Reserve: York, R. (1982). Human services planning. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Websites Non Profit On-Line News http://www.gilbert.org/news/ |
| 9 | 10/30 | Selecting Alternatives:
This session examines the use of criteria and research findings for the selection of
alternative courses of action. Methods for forecasting and data analysis are discussed.
The following MVA procedures are also discussed: multiple regression, discriminant
analysis, factor analysis, logistical regression and cluster analysis. Team Checkpoint Each team makes an appointment with the Instructor to discuss the results Technology We will examine the use of an Excel Spreadsheet. Readings Reserve: Dunn, W.N. (1994). Public Policy Analysis. [Second Edition]. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 183-186. Reserve: York, R. (1982). Human services planning. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Websites Congress.org http://www.congress.org/ |
| 10 | 11/6 & 11/27 | Policy Recommendations and
Advocacy: This session will discuss verbal and written presentation of the analysis
and recommendations. Techniques for analyzing decision-makers and arenas are considered. Technology The preparation of documents using desktop publishing is discussed and the preparation of a presentations using PowerPoint is examined. Readings: Smucker, 3-107 Dluhy, M. (1983). Muddling through or thinking seriously about the problem: How to prepare policy documents, present information to decision-makers and maximize the impact of your advice. In Tropman, et, al New Strategic perspectives on social policy. New York: Pergammon. Bennett, D. & Fielding, P. (1999). The Net Effect: How Cyber-Advocacy is Changing the Political Landscape. Merrifield, VA: E-Advocates Press Krause, A., Stein, M. & Clark, J. (2000). The Virtual activist: A Training course. Netaction. On-Line at http://www.netaction.org/training/ McNutt, J.G. & Boland, K.M. (1999). Electronic Advocacy by Non-Profit Organizations in Social Welfare Policy. Non-profit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 28 (4), 432-451. Websites E-the people http://www.e-thepeople.com/affiliates/national/ |
| 13 | 12-3 | Presentations: Presentations
will be made by each team to the entire class. Each team will prepare handouts,
PowerPoint slides and a web page. Team Checkpoint Each team presents findings to the class. Completed papers due by 5:00 on 12/8. |
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