Comprehensive [Policy Analysis] Assignment (Paper)
This assignment provides the opportunity to develop your research and writing skills, and to analyze
an existing social welfare policy and its corresponding social problem. It’s recommended that the student
will first select a social problem that he/she is interested in learning more about, and then identify a social
welfare policy that has been designed to address this social problem. For example, a focus on child abuse as
a social problem might lead to examination of the Child Abuse Prevention & Treatment Act (1974). To
receive credit for the course, this assignment must be completed.
Submit a 15-25 page research paper (excluding the title, abstract, and references pages; double-spaced,
conforming to APA 6th edition guidelines). You will turn in the paper a section at a time. I will grade each
section, returning it to you with detailed feedback. Please edit and revise your paper based on this feedback.
At the end of the semester, you will turn in your complete paper, which will be graded in its entirety. Please
turn in the segments of your paper as follows:
1. Title page, abstract, reference page (with at least 8 sources).
2. Description of the social problem that necessitated the introduction of the policy, its scope, who is
affected, etc. (3-5 pages)
3. Discuss values in terms of how the problem is understood from different perspectives and how
proposed solutions are related to how the problem is understood. (2-3 pages)
4. Past efforts to address the problem (2-3 pages)
5. Political forces, strategies, and role of recipients in development of policy (2-3 pages)
6. Description of the Policy in its current form (1-2 pages)
7. History of amendments (1-2 pages)
8. Effect on racial and ethnic groups (2-3 pages)
9. Analysis of efficacy of policy and recommendations (2-4 pages)
You can find a more detailed description of what should be in each section by referring to pp 64-66 in
your text as a guide, and more specifically to the grading rubric.
Note: the framework for analysis in your text is directed toward legislation that has not yet been enacted.
You are asked to use this same framework, but to analyze an existing policy.
