Writing Public Policy is a hands-on, concise guide to writing and communicating in public policy processes. Designed to help students, practitioners, and other "doers" understand and perform common types of communication used in solving public problems, the book introduces the institutionaldemocratic process in the U.S. and explains the standards and functions of communicating in the public sector. Coverage includes: * A general method for planning, composing, and assessing communications in a variety of real-life contexts and situations * Specific instructions for writing and speaking in public policy processes * Scenarios that illustrate the complexity in policy processes, highlighting their diversity of contexts--including state agencies and local boards, non-profit organizations, federal government committees, special interest groups, and professional associations--the variety of actors involved, andthe range of communication types produced * Commentary relating the scenarios and examples to the general method * Checklists of expected standards to enable communicators to assess their products Highly practical and accessible, Writing Public Policy demonstrates the skills and techniques needed to effectively communicate in the democratic process of making public policy. Ideal for courses in public policy studies, civic writing, and technical/business/legal writing, it is also aninvaluable resource for practitioners--and students preparing for careers--in public policy, politics, government, public relations, law, journalism, social work, public health, or in any area concerned with public affairs.