Determining the scope of the briefing paper is important because it will allow the reader to know exactly what information is covered and what is not.
Who will read this paper? Government officials? Business executives? Journalists? Some combination of these? How much does the audience already know about this issue? Do they know anything at all? What does the audience need to know? What authority does the audience have over the issue? What changes are he/she/they capable of making?
Because a briefing paper is typically only a page or two long, it needs to be condensed. Policy makers are very busy, and yours is not the only issue on their plates. There’s no room for unnecessary information or long-winded explanations. Decide on your key points in advance to craft a concise briefing paper.
A template can help you organize your thoughts and more quickly craft a briefing paper.
The name corresponds to the person to whom the briefing paper is addressed. The date corresponds to the date on which the paper was submitted. The subject line should describe in a few words the main topic of the briefing paper, such as “The Prevalence of Bullying in the North County School District. " This lets the reader know, without even skimming the document, the issue that will be addressed.
For a very busy reader, the summary offers the key points in advance, thus allowing skimming over of the rest of the document. A well-crafted briefing paper is often concise enough that this section is unnecessary. However, for issues that require immediate action, this can be a way to highlight the urgency of the paper by clearly indicating the deadline within the summary. The summary should be no more than three to four bullet points.
For example, you might write something like: “Violent incidents related to bullying are on the rise in schools within the North County School District. Current disciplinary policies may not be adequate for addressing this issue. "
This section should include the information necessary for the reader to make a decision about this issue. Information not necessary for this purpose, however interesting it may be, should be excluded. If you haven’t already, do some research before writing this section. You want the information in section to be as accurate, specific, and up to date as possible. [7] X Research source When necessary, translate the information for your audience to make this section clear and simple. Avoid jargon, technical language, or information that isn’t of central concern to the audience. Use statistics and data as appropriate, but explain things in terms that your audience will be able to quickly and easily understand.
You may, however, choose to discuss the pros and cons of various proposed or current actions, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each. [8] X Research source
Try to link the issue directly to the reader’s self-interest to make your paper more persuasive. For example, you might say something like: “Bullying related incidents are leading parents to consider private school options. They are linked to lower test scores and graduation rates, making our schools appear less effective in the eyes of the community. They reduce our district’s opportunities to supplement funding with federal and private grants. "
Some briefing papers will outline the proposed solution(s) in a section labeled “recommendations,” but some writers prefer “next steps,” believing this has a softer feel that is less presumptuous or aggressive. [10] X Research source Remember that the reader will be the one who makes the final decision on this issue, not you. This section need not be “balanced” as the background/considerations section was. This can be a place for you to express your view as to what should be done. It should be noted, however, that you do not have to endorse a particular solution. You can also just lay out some options with their pros and cons, and simply urge the reader to consider these choices and take action of some kind to address the issue. You don’t necessarily specify which action would be most appropriate.
Make sure any solution you propose is clear and directly related to the issue as you have outlined it. For example, imagine you have highlighted the lack of bullying prevention programs in your previous section. Here, it will make sense to suggest such a program, and perhaps point to their effectiveness at other schools. If prevention programs haven’t already come up, a solution like this may feel like it came out of nowhere.
Look for information that is off topic or less important and remove that material, especially if it doesn’t relate to the solution(s) you offer. By the same token, make sure there aren’t key pieces of information missing that are necessary to make your argument clear and convincing. You may need to swap out one piece of information for another. Try to put yourself in the shoes of a politician or bureaucrat as you edit. Think about how many pieces of information these individuals receive every day. Don’t contribute to the problem. Be part of the solution by providing the information necessary to make a decision–no more, no less.
Especially if you are an expert on a topic you are writing about, it’s easy to forget, at least momentarily, that language that is every day for you may be difficult for others to understand. Keep in mind that it is likewise not always immediately obvious why something is important to people who aren’t already familiar with a topic. Policy makers usually can’t be experts on every topic they have to make decisions about.
A paper with spelling, style, or grammatical errors may be taken less seriously by your reader. You may be doing more harm than good by submitting such a paper, as it may discredit your perspective.
