The CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy

"Effective writing is widely recognized as a critical skill for public policy practitioners, yet the nuances of how to write for public policy audiences specifically are rarely made explicit to our students. This concise and beautifully written text provides a much-needed resource for students and practitioners of public policy to learn and practice the critical skills of writing for public policy audiences. The second edition includes new content on writing for public speaking. Enlivened with timely examples and hands-on exercises, The CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy is a treasure trove of useful and practical wisdom.

“At the heart of policy analysis is giving advice about public issues, and the key to persuasive advice is clear and credible communication. In the CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy, Andrew Pennock draws on his years of experience as a professor, committee staffer, and policy consultant to impart useful, practical lessons on how to write more effective issue briefs, legislative testimony, memos, policy histories and op-eds. Pennock provides potent insights into how to create first drafts, how to sharpen prose, how to communicate about complicated tables and figures, and how to write for nontraditional formats such as email and social media. This terrific book presents dozens of concrete tips and step-by-step instructions that should be required reading for all student in public affairs undergraduate and graduate-level programs.”

“Among the many skills of an effective policy analyst, logical thinking expressed in clear writing is the most essential. My guess is that most teachers of policy analysis promote clear writing primarily through editing rather than instruction. This book is an excellent resource for shifting the balance more toward instruction. It combines practical coaching on the mechanics of clear writing with useful guidance on how to do it effectively in the variety of contexts in which analysts offer their advice. Whether in policy analysis, professional development, or workshop courses, public affairs students will benefit from using this book.”

"Developing audience-centered writing skills is a core competency in our public health school curriculum. Andrew Pennock’s book helped me as an instructor to refine the writing assignments used in our graduate-level food and nutrition policy course. The checklists he includes for each type of policy output makes it easy to develop clear rubrics for assessment. Beyond the classroom, I direct my mentees and colleagues to the first sections of the book as a practical primer on clear and accessible writing for any audience."