**Title:** Simplifying Political Science Language and Policy Analysis
**Attendance:**
– Absent: Mesra, Sana, Hamdam, Bahir, Amira, Sajad, Asiel
– Present: Celia, Winslow, Timur, Bobur
**Topics Covered:**
*1. Making Political Science Language Accessible:*
– Discussion and examples on simplifying complex political science language.
– Explanation of terms such as “stakeholder,” “fiscal policy,” “election cycle,” “voter turnout,” “Gini coefficient,” “quantitative analysis,” “correlation coefficient,” and “cross tabulation.”
*2. Public Policy Analysis:*
– Discussion on public policy analysis, with focus on repeated words and phrases.
– Introduction to concepts including redistribution, transfer of resources, wealth, money, taxes, regulations, market failure, and externality.
– Analysis and interpretation of survey data, focusing on public opinion about improving public transportation.
*3. Writing for Different Audiences:*
– Importance of clear and accessible language for op-ed assignments aimed at the public.
– Strategies to simplify complex ideas for a general audience.
– Practice of translating complex phrases and concepts into easy-to-understand language.
*4. Policy Problem Solving:*
– Activity on writing advocacy sentences for policy solutions using evidence.
– Discussion on disproportionately high incarceration rates among minority populations and potential solutions.
– Survey results on public transport and its impact on reducing congestion.
– Development of a parking solution as a short-term solution to congestion.
– Discussion on rent controls and government regulations to limit the amount landlords can charge for rent.
– Introduction to the housing benefit program for low-income families.
**Actionable Items:**
*1. Student Assignments:*
– Students need to come up with a new policy problem and topic.
– Students to research and understand the policy problems they’ve chosen.
– Students to work on making their language more accessible for their op-ed assignments.
– Students should practice simplifying complex ideas for a general audience.
– Students should avoid using jargon and acronyms in their writing.
– Students should seek feedback on their writing from individuals outside of their field to test comprehension.
– Students need to continue practicing the translation of complex phrases into simpler language.
*2. Teacher Responsibilities:*
– The teacher needs to email the telegram group code to a student.
– The teacher needs to ensure that all students are added to the telegram group.
– The teacher needs to assign specific policy problems to each student.
– The teacher needs to ensure all students understand the task and are able to complete it effectively.
– The teacher needs to review and provide feedback on students’ problem-solving efforts.
– Address Hafasa’s inability to participate in class due to illness.
**Homework:**
– Students are to find one scholarly article that argues in favor of their chosen problem and solution.
– Students should compare and contrast their policy program with the one in the article, considering similarities and differences in environmental or political economic situations.
– They should also identify potential challenges and any differential treatment needed in their particular implementation of the policy.
– Students should prepare to discuss their findings in the next class, after the fall break.
– The assignment can be submitted in bullet points.