Policy Writing

According the English Oxford Dictionary, a policy is "a course of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business or individual."  Today, you will be writing policies based on the points of view of activists and reformers in the early- to -mid 1800s. To help with your policy writing, check out the tips below, adapted from "Guide to Writing Policies" from the University of Minnesota.

1. Policy Title
• Identify key purpose
• "Smoking Ban"
• Use as few words as possible
• "School Spending"
2. Policy Statement
• Use language that reflects the policy's intent
• Examine the Difference
• "Teachers and staff should not smoke in class"
• "Smoking is not allowed in school buildings"
• Use as Few words as possible to state a case
• Examine the Difference
• "All school teachers and staff, under the leadership of the principal, are obligated to ensure that District funds are used only for school related purposes"
• "Employees must ensure that District funds are used only for school-related purposes"
• What Not to Include
• Background Details
• Procedural Steps