Writing policy briefings: A template for use

SUMERNET researchers need to reach a range of audiences. Key among these audiences are policymakers at different levels ranging from local to national and regional (and sometimes international). Engaging with, and influencing, policymakers requires a wide range of strategies and products, coupled with timing and access, to make your research outputs translatable into action in policy and practice.

Among the many engagement startegies and products, a "policy briefing" is useful to provide a brief summary of the research findings and actionable recommendations.

This template from SUMERNET can provide guidance for those wishing to write a policy briefing to reach your policy audiences.

Suggested length for policy briefings: Approx. 500-700 words (1-1.5 pages of A4).

If you need our help to review your draft, please provide us your draft in word doc (please remove all layout or formatting or pictures before sending to make it easier for our review).

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TEMPLATE

Insert the needed logos at top

Title

Eg. Rural women’s adaptation to climate change in Cambodia

Key Findings

• 3-5 bullet points of 6 findings.
• Total about 250 words (50-80 words per item).
• State your findings from the research
• This is not the place to make recommendations.

See example below.

• Climate change is posing significant implications for women in the rural areas in Cambodia, especially where families overwhelmingly depend on agriculture and fishing.

• New resource-intensive livelihoods, such as commercial shrimp farming, are also exacerbating vulnerability to climate impacts.

Etc.

Body Text

• 1,500-2,000 words plus graphics (tables or figures)
• An introduction that provides context and background about the project
• Give clear cases or examples from the research study that support your findings

Use simple language, avoid jargon and undefined terms and abbreviations.

Discussion

This can briefly highlight the key research questions, field sites visited, important features of the field surveys or data collected, etc.

Recommendations

• Can be bulleted list of 4-5 key actionable points that you think need to be taken up by policy makers.
• If it’s at several levels of policy, please mention viz. local, national, regional, etc.
• Ensure your recommendations are related to your research findings.
• Focus on what “action” can be taken and be specific: who should do what, how and why.

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For queries:

Please contact Rajesh Daniel (rajesh.daniel@sei.org).