Communicating Social Science Research to Policy Makers (Applied Social Research Methods Series)

This practical guide for doing policy analysis is written for academics who want to get their research to the attention of decision-makers in the public sector, or who want to train their students in the skills necessary to undertake policy-relevant research. Readers will learn: how to prepare an unbiased description of a problem to be studied;

the various diagnostic techniques;

the rules for designing policy prescriptions;

how to use formal forecasting models;

how to reach consensus over fiscal and benefits analysis; how to do costs and benefits analysis strategies for the effective communication of policy analysis.