Cross-national policy report using E-library resources

Duration: 5 hours (half a day), or as appropriate

Author: Author: Dr T.Papadopoulos, University of Bath

AIMS

The aim of this exercise is to use web resources to write a short cross-national policy report. It can be used independently or in conjunction with a workshop on how to use the web for cross-national research and especially the E-library for Global Welfare.

SCENARIOS AND STAGES

1. Participants have to write a short policy report for a (hypothetical) international organisation. Research and report has to be completed in 5 hours maximum. Participants have to utilise (but are confined to) the resources of the E-library to get information for this report.

2. Participants have to select a policy-related topic from a list that the lecturer will provide. The topic will be the main theme of the web-based research.   Indicative topics are: pensions policy, family policy, unemployment compensation policy etc.

3. Participants have to select a set of countries (at least 3) and choose a time frame (either a particular year or a series of years).

4. Using the E-library resources participants have to create comparative tables and present them with a commentary in their report   (a paragraph of 50-100 words for each table).   The comparative tables should be of three types:

  • A set of tables referring to the context of the policy topic and the challenges that policy makers are facing (e.g. age dependency ratios, fertility rates, unemployment levels)
  • A set of tables referring to the content and structure of policies regarding the topic (e.g. the structure and characteristics of policy schemes, benefit levels etc.)
  • A set of tables referring to any policy changes that might have taken place in recent years.

5. Participants have to evaluate the quality and reliability of the data and any lessons learned by such a comparison that can be conveyed to the international organisation. This can take the form of an executive summary at the top of the report.

6. The structure of the report should be as follows:

  • Executive summary
  • Introduction
  • Policy context
  • Policy content and institutional structure
  • Recent Policy changes
  • Conclusion

OUTPUT

The full report should be given to the lecturer. The total number of words (excluding references and the tables) should not exceed 1,500 words. All web-resources should be acknowledged in the list of references in the conventional academic style of referencing.