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Value: 15% of course grade
Due Date: October 18 (outline); October 21 (final)
Choose an issue related to education, transportation, health, the environment, or the arts. The issue should be one that has personal relevance for you, either because it has a direct impact on your life (e.g., student funding, public transportation, a health issue) or because it is related to an existing interest of yours (perhaps as a result of other academic or community interests). The issue should be local (that is, restricted to the Victoria area), although it may reflect provincial or even federal government policy. If you wish to write about an issue that is not related to one of these five policy themes, check with me.
Prepare a two-page informational briefing note for an appropriate government official that describes the issue you've chosen. Make sure you have narrowed your focus to the local level (that is, write a BN for the Colwood municipal council about the lack of bicycle paths in Colwood rather than to the B.C. government about the lack of cycling infrastructure in general). Make sure to read How to Write A Briefing Note to learn about the structure and characteristics of a good briefing note.
Tips on Choosing a Topic
Brainstorm for issues you are familiar with or interested in. Consider issues you've studied or encountered in your life. If you're stuck, ask yourself: What issue would I like to bring to the attention of a government official? Here are some possibilities:
- BC's "training" wage policy and its impact on UVic students
- a local transportation issue (ferry service, traffic congestion, provision of cycling paths, etc.)
- a government land use policy concerning a specific location or activity
- the provision of specific health care or the cost of a specific treatment
- your municipality's policy on the use of pesticides, recycling, or other environmental concerns
- a local arts-funding issue
As you work on refining your topic, keep the following points in mind:
- The closer the issue is to your own interests, the better.
- Be realistic about your workload, the time available, and your knowledge. Limit the scope of your topic. Ask me for advice if you feel your topic is too big.
- Your goal is not to accumulate information but to distill it. As you examine the issue, limit yourself to ONLY the details necessary for someone to understand the issue and its current status.
- Do not make a recommendation. For this assignment, you will be providing an informational briefing only.
Important Dates
October 11: Be prepared to write a brief memo in class describing the issue you've chosen and the main sources you'll be using for your information.
October 18: Have a complete outline of your briefing note (in a Word file) ready for class. You will have the chance to discuss any problems you're having with the assignment and to exchange outlines with another student for peer editing. Don't miss the workshop; if you do (without a legitimate excuse), you will lose 30% of your grade for the assignment.
October 21: Bring your briefing note to class for a final editing session. Send your revised briefing note to me as an attachment by 11:59 p.m. Name your file: YourlastnameBN1.doc (e.g., doyleBN1.doc).
Briefing Note Checklist
When you have prepared your briefing note, go through the following criteria to make sure you've met all the expectations of the assignment.
- Is the purpose of the briefing note clear?
- Is the language simple, economical, and clear?
- Is everything there that needs to be there?
- Is anything there that isn't essential to the purpose?
- Is the briefing note easy to read, understand, and remember?
- Do the sections lead logically from one to another?
- Is the briefing note designed so that it is inviting to the reader?
- Is there a good balance between white space and text?
- Has the briefing note been edited for errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and mechanics?
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