Communications Resource: Writing Public Policy

Smith, C.F. (2013). Writing Public Policy (3^rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

I can appreciate a book that in the Preface answers such questions as the scope of the resource, the intended audience and the structure of the resource. It also provides a small section regarding the differences between the third edition and previous editions, such as a new chapter on policy evaluation, new illustrations, more samples and more information on writing and critical thinking.  This is a relevant reference for those in communication as it incorporated the social sciences of political science and also regarding public policy on any number of subjects, many of which are social sciences.  Writing public policy is about persuasion and convincing others to support or change public policy.  The Preface begins with a quote of a student who interned in public policy- “In public policy work, if you can’t write it or say it, you can’t do it.” (Smith, 2013, xi).

Scope:  Writing Public Policy addresses public policy making, communicating the process, defining and framing the process, the process of evaluating, analyzing and advising public policy.  Specifically for those focusing on communication, Writing Public Policy focuses on the process of communication in public policy, including the standards and expectations within the field.  This is accomplished by providing background information on each of the topics presented and then case studies, real life examples of each of the issues addressed.

Audience:  Catherine Smith is very helpful; in the preface, she states that the intended audience is “…undergraduate and graduate students of public policy, political science, public administration, public discourse, writing, and communication, along with their teachers.” (Smith, 2013, xiii).  It is also intended for entry level professionals working in nonprofits, government, social work, and in dealing with public policy.  The book also proposes that is intended for the active citizen and civic organizations.

Timeliness:   The third edition has a publication date of 2013 so it is quite current.  It provides information regarding legislative history in Chapter 5: Legislative History: Know the Record.  In the digital information age, the Internet must be a factor when considering public policy. Writing Public Policy addresses Public Policy writing for the web in an appendix.  And while email was addressed in a previous chapter, the appendix only briefly discusses podcasts, wikis, blogs, and webpages.  There is very little addressing social media.  Public policy writing likely translates well to the digital age but future editions will likely contain more information about Public Policy and the Web, especially as more and more public policy publications are published solely online.

Authority:  According to the book jacket, Catherine Smith is a professor Emerita of English at East Carolina University and an Adjunct Professor of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Documentation:  Each chapter provides references for the section provided but there is not a single section that contains all references.  It makes it difficult to search citations for references in the research process. However, it is also nice to be able to quickly access the references within the chapter that is relevant only to what was just read.

Relevance:  This is a relevant resource for not only those working directly in public policy but also for those studying communication.  It is a valuable guide for communication process in public policy.